TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senators Loretta Weinberg and Joseph Coniglio which would permanently designate October in every year as “Breast Cancer Awareness Month” was approved by the Senate today by a vote of 38-0, receiving final legislative approval.
“Breast Cancer is the most common cancer among American women and is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths,” said Senator Weinberg, who sponsored the Assembly counterpart while serving in that House. “Yet, despite those statistics, there are still women in New Jersey who do not receive regular mammograms, because they’re below the poverty line or do not have access to quality health insurance. We need to raise people’s awareness of the disease, and the success stories from early detection, to encourage good health choices.”
The joint resolution, SJR-65, would designate the month of October in every year as “Breast Cancer Awareness Month.” The resolution further requests that the Governor issue a proclamation, calling upon public officials and the citizens of New Jersey to observe the month with appropriate activities and programs designed to foster greater public awareness about the disease, as well as treatment options and the importance of annual or biannual checkups.
“Due to advances in medicine and better early diagnosis rates, more women are living with and surviving breast cancer, but with greater public awareness, we can do better,” said Senator Coniglio. “The US Department of Health and Human Services suggests that women over the age of 40 receive a mammogram every one to two years to screen for breast cancer. Women need to know that with early detection and proper treatment, breast cancer can be beaten.”
The resolution, which was approved by the Assembly in November of 2004, now goes to the Secretary of State to be filed.