Senate Resolution 119 - Introduced PAG LIN S.R. ________ H.R. ________ 1 1 SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 1 2 BY BEALL and GASKILL 1 3 A Resolution designating September 2008 as Prostate 1 4 Cancer Awareness Month. 1 5 WHEREAS, countless families in Iowa live with 1 6 prostate cancer; and 1 7 WHEREAS, a significant number of men in Iowa live 1 8 with prostate cancer; and 1 9 WHEREAS, over the past decade, prostate cancer has 1 10 been the most commonly diagnosed nonskin cancer and 1 11 the second most common cause of cancer=related deaths 1 12 among men in Iowa; and 1 13 WHEREAS, the American Cancer Society estimates 1 14 218,890 men in the United States will be diagnosed 1 15 with prostate cancer and 27,050 men will die of 1 16 prostate cancer in 2008; and 1 17 WHEREAS, the American Cancer Society estimates 1 18 2,140 men in Iowa will be diagnosed with prostate 1 19 cancer and 350 men will die of prostate cancer in 1 20 2008; and 1 21 WHEREAS, African=American males suffer a prostate 1 22 cancer incidence rate up to 60 percent higher than 1 23 white males and more than double the mortality rate; 1 24 and 1 25 WHEREAS, age, ethnicity, and family history are 1 26 significant predictors of the severity of prostate 1 27 cancer and the probability that the disease will lead 1 28 to death; NOW THEREFORE, 1 29 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE, That the Senate 1 30 designates September 2008 as Prostate Cancer Awareness 2 1 month; 2 2 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Senate declares 2 3 that Iowa state government has a responsibility to 2 4 raise awareness about the importance of screening 2 5 methods for, and treatment of, prostate cancer; to 2 6 encourage increased research in order to improve 2 7 screening and treatment of prostate cancer, and to 2 8 provide that the causes of, and a cure for, prostate 2 9 cancer may be discovered; and to continue to consider 2 10 ways for improving access to, and the quality of, 2 11 health care services for detecting and treating 2 12 prostate cancer. 2 13 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Senate requests 2 14 the Governor to issue a proclamation calling on the 2 15 people of Iowa, interested groups, and affected 2 16 persons to promote awareness of prostate cancer; to 2 17 take an active role in the fight to end the 2 18 devastating effects of prostate cancer on individuals 2 19 and their families; to observe Prostate Cancer 2 20 Awareness Month with appropriate ceremonies and 2 21 activities; and to urge the United States Congress to 2 22 prohibit the application of least costly alternative 2 23 practices or similar policies for drugs and 2 24 biologicals that unfairly target prostate cancer 2 25 patients. 2 26 LSB 6612SS 82 2 27 rj/rj/24.1