October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month
October 10, 2005

Washington, D.C. - Here in Southern Ohio and in other communities across the nation, October means crisp fall days, apple festivals and Halloween preparations. But since 1985, October also signifies National Breast Cancer Awareness month. Each October we renew our commitment to making progress in the fight to prevent, detect, treat and cure this deadly disease.

In the United States, more than 211,240 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed this year. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that almost 10,000 new cases of breast cancer among females will occur this year in Ohio alone. Breast Cancer is the second most common kind of cancer and the second leading cause of cancer deaths among women in the United States. This disease is devastating to women, but also affects a small percentage of men. Unfortunately, many of us have been touched in some way by this disease.

Mammography screenings are a women's best chance for detecting breast cancer early. And fortunately, significant progress in mammography technology is helping doctors diagnose the disease earlier. As a result, breast cancer survivors make up the largest group of cancer survivors. We now know that early detection saves lives. The key is to ensuring that all women have access to quality, affordable mammography for the detection of breast cancer in its earliest, most treatable stages.

This issue is important to me both as a woman and a legislator. As a member of the Ohio General Assembly, I authored legislation, now Ohio law, which raised the cap on the amount of benefits health care plans are required to provide for the expense of mammographies. Another key provision of the law provides for an annual adjustment of this cap to reflect inflation.

On the federal level, I will work with breast cancer advocates and my colleagues in Congress on initiatives that focus on prevention, accessibility to early detection and research of this devastating disease. This year alone, the National Institutes of Health, the Center for Disease Control, and the Department of Defense will collectively spend millions of dollars on breast cancer research.

We must be diligent in making sure that all women understand the importance of and have access to early detection through annual mammography screening. Friday, October 21 has been designated as National Mammography Day here in Ohio and across the nation. To find out where you can get an exam in your area, call the American Cancer Society at 800.227.2345 or the National Cancer Institute at 800.4 - CANCER.

We've made a lot of progress in the fight against breast cancer. And we are learning more about this disease every day. Use this October as an opportunity to encourage your loved ones to take the appropriate steps now toward the prevention of this disease. By working together, we can raise awareness and help people live longer and healthier lives. For more information, go to www.breastcancerallliance.org, contact your medical caregiver, or call our office.

http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/oh02_schmidt/breastcancer.html