Amended in Assembly September 3, 2015

California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

House Resolution No. 29

Introduced by Assembly Member Campos

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(Coauthors: Assembly Members Achadjian, Alejo, Atkins, Baker, Bigelow, Bonilla, Brough, Brown, Burke, Calderon, Chang, Chau, Chávez, Chu, Cooley, Cooper, Dababneh, Dahle, Daly, Dodd, Eggman, Frazier, Beth Gaines, Gallagher, Cristina Garcia, Eduardo Garcia, Gatto, Gipson, Gomez, Gonzalez, Gordon, Gray, Grove, Hadley, Harper, Holden, Irwin, Jones, Jones-Sawyer, Kim, Lackey, Levine, Linder, Lopez, Maienschein, Mayes, McCarty, Medina, Melendez, Mullin, Nazarian, Obernolte, O’Donnell, Olsen, Patterson, Perea, Quirk, Rendon, Ridley-Thomas, Rodriguez, Salas, Santiago, Steinorth, Mark Stone, Thurmond, Ting, Wagner, Waldron, Weber, Wilk, Williams, and Wood)

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August 19, 2015

House Resolution No. 29—Relative to Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month.

WHEREAS, Each year in the United States, over 20,000 women
are diagnosed with ovarian cancer, and about 14,500 women die
of this disease; and

WHEREAS, If diagnosed and treated at an early stage before
the cancer spreads outside of the ovary, the treatment is potentially
less costly, and the five-year survival rate is higher, at
approximately 70 percent. However, fewer than 20 percent of
ovarian cancer patients are diagnosed early. An overwhelming 80
percent of all ovarian cancer patients are diagnosed at advanced
stages; and

WHEREAS, Although mortality rates for other cancers have
been reduced due to the capabilities of early detection and enhanced
treatments, ovarian cancer causes more deaths than any other
cancer of the female reproductive system. Unfortunately, women
with ovarian cancer do not share the luxury of early detection. This
cancer is among the deadliest of all gynecologic cancers; and

WHEREAS, Ovarian cancer has been predicted to reach
epidemic proportions as the population ages because advancing
age is one of the known risk factors for the development of ovarian
cancer. About 90 percent of women who get ovarian cancer are
older than 40 years of age, with the greatest number of cases
occurring in women 60 years of age or older; and

WHEREAS, The symptoms of ovarian cancer are vague and
not well known by the public. While ovarian cancer is the ninth
most common cancer among the female population, it is the fifth
leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women; and

WHEREAS, When ovarian cancer is found in its early stages,
treatment works best. Ovarian cancer often causes signs and
symptoms, so it is important for women to pay attention to their
bodies and know what is normal for them. Symptoms may be
caused by something other than cancer, but the only way to know
is for women to see their doctor, nurse, or other health care
professional; and

WHEREAS, It is critical for women, physicians, and all health
care providers to recognize the risk factors and symptoms of
gynecologic cancers and to remember the importance of early
detection in preventing and treating this disease; and

WHEREAS, It is incumbent upon the citizens of the State of
California to work together as concerned people to increase
research in understanding the causes, finding effective screening
and prevention strategies, and developing improved therapies for
ovarian cancers; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, That the
Assembly hereby recognizes the month of September 2015, and
every September thereafter, as Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month
throughout the State of California, and encourages and promotes
the efforts of the people and the health care practitioners of the
state to increase their awareness of this disease and to educate
themselves about its early detection and prevention, the risk factors
involved in its development, and the early warning symptoms and
signs; and be it further

Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies
of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.