SR0580 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0580 LRB095 20301 GRL 47341 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Countless families in the United States live with prostate cancer; and

WHEREAS, One out of six men in the United States live with prostate cancer; and

WHEREAS, Over the past decade, prostate cancer has been the most commonly diagnosed non-skin cancer and the second most common cause of cancer-related deaths among men in the United States; and

WHEREAS, In 2008, according to estimates from the American Cancer Society, 186,320 men in the United States will be diagnosed with prostate cancer and 28,660 men in the United States will die of prostate cancer; and

WHEREAS, African-American males suffer a prostate cancer incidence rate up to 60 percent higher than white males and more than double the mortality rate; and

WHEREAS, African-American men have the highest mortality rate of any ethnic and racial group in the United States, dying at a rate that is 140 percent higher than other ethnic and racial groups; and

WHEREAS, Obesity is a significant predictor of the severity of prostate cancer and the probability that the disease will lead to death; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we designate the month of September 2008 as Prostate Cancer Awareness Month in the State of Illinois; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we declare that the Illinois government has a responsibility:

(a) to raise awareness about the importance of screening methods for, and treatment of, prostate cancer;

(b) to increase research funding that is commensurate with the burden of the disease so that the screening and treatment of prostate cancer may be improved, and so that the causes of, and a cure for, prostate cancer may be discovered; and

(c) to continue to consider ways for improving access to, and the quality of, health care services for detecting and treating prostate cancer; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we request the Governor to issue a proclamation calling on the people of the United States, interested groups, and affected persons:

(a) to promote awareness of prostate cancer;

(b) to take an active role in the fight to end the devastating effects of prostate cancer on individuals, their families, and the economy;

(c) to urge Congress to prohibit the application of LCA or similar policies for drugs and biologicals that unfairly target prostate cancer patients; and

(d) to observe National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month with appropriate ceremonies and activities; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to the Governor and the members of the Illinois congressional delegation.