THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE RESOLUTION

INTRODUCED BY MURPHY, BAKER, BEAR, BELFANTI, BEYER, BISHOP, BOBACK, BOYLE, BRADFORD, BRIGGS, BROOKS, BROWN, CALTAGIRONE, CAUSER, CLYMER, D. COSTA, CUTLER, DALEY, DENLINGER, DiGIROLAMO, DONATUCCI, EVERETT, FAIRCHILD, FLECK, FRANKEL, GEIST, GEORGE, GERGELY, GIBBONS, GINGRICH, GODSHALL, GRUCELA, HARHAI, HELM, HENNESSEY, HESS, HORNAMAN, HOUGHTON, KESSLER, KILLION, KORTZ, LONGIETTI, MAHER, MAJOR, MANN, MARKOSEK, MARSICO, MATZIE, McGEEHAN, MELIO, MENSCH, METZGAR, MICOZZIE, MILLARD, MILLER, MIRABITO, MOUL, MUNDY, MURT, MUSTIO, OBERLANDER, M. O'BRIEN, PALLONE, PASHINSKI, PAYNE, PHILLIPS, PICKETT, QUINN, READSHAW, REICHLEY, ROHRER, ROSS, SAINATO, SANTARSIERO, SANTONI, SAYLOR, SEIP, SIPTROTH, SOLOBAY, SONNEY, STABACK, SWANGER, TRUE, VULAKOVICH, WANSACZ, WATSON, YOUNGBLOOD, O'NEILL, DeLUCA, WHITE, STERN AND MILNE, OCTOBER 14, 2009

INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35, OCTOBER 14, 2009  

A RESOLUTION

Declaring the month of November 2009 as "Pancreatic Cancer

Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania.

WHEREAS, More than 37,000 people will be diagnosed with

pancreatic cancer this year in the United States and an

estimated 34,000 will die from the disease; and

WHEREAS, Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest type of

cancer and the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths in the

United States; and

WHEREAS, Approximately 1,920 deaths will occur in this

Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, Seventy-five percent of pancreatic cancer patients

will die within the first year of their diagnosis and 95% of

pancreatic cancer patients will die within the first five years;

and

WHEREAS, There is no cure for pancreatic cancer and there

have been no significant improvements in early detection,

treatment methods or survival rates in the last 25 years; 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

metastasis disease is only three to six months; and

WHEREAS, Incidence of pancreatic cancer is 20% to 30% higher

in men than in women and 40% to 50% 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 other leading

cancer; 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 treatments; and

WHEREAS, The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network is the first

and only national patient advocacy organization that serves the

pancreatic cancer community in Pennsylvania and nationwide by

focusing its efforts on public policy, developing effective

treatments and a cure for pancreatic cancer; and

WHEREAS, The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network and its

affiliates in this Commonwealth support those patients currently

battling pancreatic cancer, as well as those who have lost their

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

cure; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representative designate the

month of November 2009 as "Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month" in

Pennsylvania.