For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
September 1, 2003
National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, 2003
By the President of the United States
A Proclamation
It is estimated that more than 25,000 American women will be
diagnosed with ovarian cancer this year and that more than 14,000 will
die from this disease. During National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month,
we seek to increase understanding of ovarian cancer and the importance
of early detection, and to recognize the advances made to eliminate
this disease.
Early detection and education are critical to treating ovarian
cancer. Today, only half of the women diagnosed with this disease are
expected to survive 5 years or more. However, the 5-year survival rate
for those whose cancer is detected early is more than 90 percent. When
the disease is discovered in its early stages, doctors are able to
treat it with standard methods, such as surgery, chemotherapy, and
radiation therapy.
Researchers have made significant progress in developing screening
tests that can accurately diagnose ovarian cancer. Much work remains,
however, before we can reliably detect the disease in its earliest
stages when treatment is most effective. I urge all women to talk to
their doctors about ovarian cancer and the best course of action to
detect and treat this deadly disease. Doing so is particularly
important for women aged 40 or older, those with a family history of
ovarian cancer, and those with a personal history of breast,
endometrial, or colon cancer. And I urge individuals across the
country to learn more about this disease and what can be done to reduce
the number of individuals who suffer from it.
In addition to encouraging early detection and increasing awareness
about ovarian cancer, we must continue to advance our knowledge through
research. Scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, the National Cancer Institute, the Department of Defense,
the Food and Drug Administration, other Federal agencies, and private
companies are working hard to discover the causes of ovarian cancer and
to design more effective screening and treatment options. Through
their research, we hope to learn how to reduce the chances of
developing this disease, how to recognize it in its earliest stages,
and how to successfully treat women in every stage of ovarian cancer.
The vision and determination of these professionals, along with the
courage of the women who participate in clinical trials, are helping to
turn today's research advances into tomorrow's success stories.
My Administration remains committed to supporting research efforts
to help find a cure for ovarian cancer. My fiscal year 2004 budget
proposal includes more than $5.6 billion for cancer research at the
National Institutes of Health. This investment will lead to a better
understanding of ovarian cancer and greater hope for women who suffer
from this disease. Through education and continued research, we can
win the fight against ovarian cancer and save the lives of thousands of
American women.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States
of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution
and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim September 2003 as
National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. I call upon the people of the
United States to observe this month with appropriate programs and
activities.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of
September, in the year of our Lord two thousand three, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and
twenty-eighth.
GEORGE W. BUSH
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