1Designating the month of November 2013 as "Pancreatic Cancer
2Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania.

3WHEREAS, In 2013, an estimated 45,220 people will be
4diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in the United States and 38,460
5will die from the disease; and

6WHEREAS, Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest cancers
7and is the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths in the United
8States; and

9WHEREAS, When symptoms of pancreatic cancer present
10themselves, it is usually too late for an optimistic prognosis
11and 74% of pancreatic cancer patients die within the first year

1of their diagnoses while 94% of pancreatic cancer patients die
2within five years; and

3WHEREAS, Of all the racial/ethnic groups in the United
4States, African Americans have the highest incidence of
5pancreatic cancer, between 34% and 70% higher than the other
6groups; and

7WHEREAS, Approximately 1,950 deaths will occur in
8Pennsylvania in 2013; and

9WHEREAS, There is no cure for pancreatic cancer and there
10have been no significant improvements in survival rates in the
11last 40 years;

12WHEREAS, The Federal Government invests significantly less
13money in pancreatic cancer research than it does in any of the
14other leading cancer killers; and

15WHEREAS, Pancreatic cancer research constitutes only
16approximately 2% of the National Cancer Institute's Federal
17research funding, a figure far too low given the severity of the
18disease, its mortality rate and how little is known about how to
19arrest it; and

20WHEREAS, The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network is the first
21and only national patient advocacy organization that serves the
22pancreatic cancer community in Pennsylvania and nationwide by
23focusing its efforts on public policy, research funding, patient
24services and public awareness and education related to
25developing effective treatments and a cure for pancreatic
26cancer; and

27WHEREAS, The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network supports
28patients currently battling pancreatic cancer, as well as the
29families of those who have lost their lives to the disease, and
30is committed to nothing less than a cure; and

1WHEREAS, The good health and well-being of the residents of
2this Commonwealth are enhanced as a direct result of increased
3awareness about pancreatic cancer and research into early
4detection, causes and effective treatments; therefore be it

5RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate the
6month of November 2013 as "Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month" in
7Pennsylvania.