Bill Text: MI HR0163 | 2011-2012 | 96th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: A resolution to declare November 2011 as Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month in the state of Michigan.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2011-11-30 - Adopted [HR0163 Detail]
Download: Michigan-2011-HR0163-Enrolled.html
Reps. Slavens, Barnett, Brown, Constan, Darany, Geiss, Heise, Kowall, LeBlanc, Liss, Lori, O'Brien, Poleski, Price, Tlaib and Tyler offered the following resolution:
House Resolution No. 163.
A resolution to declare November 2011 as Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month in the state of Michigan.
Whereas, An estimated 43,030 people in 2011 will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in the United States and 37,660 will die from the disease; and
Whereas, Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest cancers and is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the United States; and
Whereas, When symptoms of pancreatic cancer present themselves, it is usually too late for an optimistic prognosis. Seventy-four percent of pancreatic cancer patients die within the first year of their diagnosis, while 94 percent of pancreatic cancer patients die within the first five years; and
Whereas, African Americans have the highest incidence rate of pancreatic cancer among all racial and ethnic groups in the United States; and
Whereas, Approximately 1,670 deaths will occur in Michigan in 2011; and
Whereas, There is no cure for pancreatic cancer and there have been no significant improvements in survival rates in the last 40 years; and
Whereas, The federal government invests significantly less money in pancreatic cancer research than it does in any of the other leading cancer killers and pancreatic cancer research constitutes only approximately 2 percent of the National Cancer Institute’s federal research funding. This figure is far too low given the severity of the disease, its mortality rate, and how little is known about how to arrest it; and
Whereas, The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network is the first and only national patient advocacy organization that serves the pancreatic cancer community in Michigan and nationwide by focusing its efforts on public policy, research funding, patient services, and public awareness and education related to developing effective treatments and a cure for pancreatic cancer; and
Whereas, The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network and its affiliates in Michigan support those patients currently battling pancreatic cancer, as well as to those who have lost their lives to the disease, and are committed to nothing less than a cure; and
Whereas, The good health and well-being of the residents of Michigan are enhanced as a direct result of increased awareness about pancreatic cancer and research into early detection, causes, and effective treatments; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives, That the members of this legislative body declare November 2011 as Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month in the state of Michigan.
