THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE RESOLUTION

INTRODUCED BY VULAKOVICH, ADOLPH, BAKER, BOBACK, K. BOYLE, BRENNAN, BROOKS, R. BROWN, V. BROWN, BUXTON, CAUSER, CLYMER, CREIGHTON, CUTLER, DELOZIER, DeWEESE, DiGIROLAMO, ELLIS, EMRICK, EVERETT, FABRIZIO, FLECK, FREEMAN, GEIST, GEORGE, GILLEN, GILLESPIE, GINGRICH, GODSHALL, HAHN, HEFFLEY, HENNESSEY, HESS, HICKERNELL, KAVULICH, KILLION, KNOWLES, KORTZ, LONGIETTI, MAHER, MAHONEY, MAJOR, MALONEY, MARSHALL, MARSICO, METCALFE, MICOZZIE, MILLARD, MILLER, MILNE, MIRABITO, MOUL, MUSTIO, O'NEILL, PAYNE, PEIFER, PICKETT, PYLE, QUINN, RAVENSTAHL, READSHAW, REED, REICHLEY, ROCK, ROEBUCK, ROSS, SABATINA, SAINATO, SANTONI, SAYLOR, SCAVELLO, CULVER, SONNEY, STERN, STEVENSON, SWANGER, TALLMAN, TOOHIL, VEREB, WATSON AND YOUNGBLOOD, OCTOBER 3, 2011

INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35, OCTOBER 3, 2011  

A RESOLUTION

Designating the month of November 2011 as "Pancreatic Cancer

Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania.

WHEREAS, More than 43,000 people will be diagnosed with

pancreatic cancer this year in the United States, and 36,000

will die from the disease; and

WHEREAS, Pancreatic cancer is the deadliest cancer and the

fourth-leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States; and

WHEREAS, Annually, more than 2,000 Pennsylvanians have been

diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, making it the fifth highest

state in the United States for occurrence of the disease; and

WHEREAS, Seventy-five percent of pancreatic cancer patients

die within the first year of their diagnosis, and 94% of

pancreatic cancer patients die within the first five years; and 

WHEREAS, There is no cure for pancreatic cancer and there has

been no significant improvements in early detection, treatment

methods or survival rates; and

WHEREAS, In the last 25 years, survival rates for the disease

have only increased from 3% to 6%; and 

WHEREAS, When symptoms of pancreatic cancer present

themselves, it is usually too late for an optimistic prognosis,

and the average life expectancy of those diagnosed with

metastatic disease is only three to six months; and 

WHEREAS, Incidents of pancreatic cancer are higher in men

than in women and higher in African Americans than in other

ethnic groups; and 

WHEREAS, The Federal Government invests less money in

pancreatic cancer research than it does in any of the other

leading cancers; and 

WHEREAS, The good health and well-being of the residents of

this Commonwealth are enhanced as a direct result of increased

awareness about pancreatic cancer and research into early

detection, causes and effective treatment; and 

WHEREAS, The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network is the first

and only national patient advocacy organization that services

the pancreatic cancer community in Pennsylvania 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 support those patients currently battling pancreatic

cancer, as well as the families of those who have lost their

lives to the disease, and are committed to nothing less than a

cure; and 

WHEREAS, The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network is dedicated to

increasing funding for pancreatic cancer research and to

advocating for the allocation of appropriate research funding

from the Federal Government to the National Cancer Institute to

discover and develop enhanced detection techniques and improved

treatment methods for pancreatic cancer; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate the

month of November 2011 as "Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month" in

Pennsylvania in support of the goals of educating the citizens

of this Commonwealth about the lethality of pancreatic cancer,

how quickly it claims the lives of those afflicted and the lack

of adequate funding toward lifesaving research and detection

methods.