SR1189 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR1189 LRB103 42437 ECR 75667 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, October is nationally recognized as Breast Cancer Awareness Month; and

WHEREAS, Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among women globally and the second leading cause of cancer death among women in the United States; and

WHEREAS, More than one in eight women and one in 833 men in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetimes; and

WHEREAS, An estimated 313,510 Americans will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in 2024; and

WHEREAS, Metastatic breast cancer (MBC) occurs when breast cancer spreads to other parts of the body, including the bones, lungs, liver, and brain, and individuals with MBC have an average life expectancy of 24 to 36 months after diagnosis; and

WHEREAS, Regardless of early detection, approximately 30% of stage 0 to stage III breast cancers will return as stage IV; and

WHEREAS, An estimated 42,780 Americans will die from breast cancer in 2024, equal to 117 women and men per day, with 98% of deaths being caused by MBC; and

WHEREAS, MBC affects all races and socioeconomic classes; and

WHEREAS, While white women see slightly higher incidence rates of breast cancer, the mortality rate for Black women with breast cancer is 41% higher than that of white women, and breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death for Hispanic women; and

WHEREAS, METAvivor Research and Support, a national organization, funds critical stage IV metastatic breast cancer research and educates the public about metastatic breast cancer and the lack of funding for stage IV treatment; and

WHEREAS, METAvivor aims to dramatically increase the current percentage of breast cancer research dollars for already metastasized patients from under 5% to 30%; and

WHEREAS, The national hashtags for this initiative on social media fall under #METAvivor and #LightUpMBC, with the latter representing a global campaign designed to educate, raise funds, and shine a light on the critical need for stage IV metastatic breast cancer research; and

WHEREAS, The #LightUpMBC campaign, held annually on October 13, illuminates 117 landmarks around the world in the metastatic breast cancer colors of teal, pink, and green to bring awareness to the disease and to honor the daily number of 117 lives lost to MBC; and

WHEREAS, While the pink ribbon is well-known for representing the fight against early stage breast cancer, it is not inclusive of stage IV; therefore, the metastatic breast cancer awareness tricolor ribbon includes teal to portray healing and spirituality, green for the triumph of spring over winter, life over death, renewal, hope, and immortality, and a thin pink overlay to signify that the cancer originated in the breast; and

WHEREAS, The #LightUpMBC campaign will culminate in a virtual broadcast, #LightUpMBC Live, to commemorate landmarks lighting up around the world, to share inspiring stories by the metastatic breast cancer community, and to raise research funds; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we declare October 13, 2024 as Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day in the State of Illinois; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we recognize the METAvivor #LightUpMBC national campaign; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we encourage citizens to join the national effort towards awareness of metastatic breast cancer during October through METAvivor; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to METAvivor with our sincere appreciation for their efforts to address breast cancer.