October 8, 2009

25 Years of Wearing Pink

If you see top NFL players wearing pink on the field this month, do not worry about adjusting the color on your television.  The NFL and Charlotte Panthers running back, DeAngelo Williams, got it right.  They are sporting pink cleats, towels, and gloves in support of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

October marks the 25^th anniversary of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  Many people throughout the nation will be wearing pink to honor those loved ones who have been affected by this deadly disease and to show support for finding a cure.

This year alone, approximately 200,000 American women will hear the devastating news that they have breast cancer.  Almost 40,000 of those women will die from it.  It is the leading cause of death in women ages 40-55, but sadly, many insured women over 40 do not even get regular mammograms, and only a fraction of those without insurance get them. 

While these statistics may be alarming, we have made measurable progress and have reason to be optimistic.  Breast cancer death rates have steadily declined since 1990, and in the last three years, the death rate has dropped nearly 30 percent.  Much of that progress can be attributed to an aggressive education and awareness campaign, regular exams, greater access to mammography, early detection, and improved diagnostic tools and treatments.

That is why I continue to fight in Congress for cancer research and improvements in our health care system.  I have co-sponsored several measures in Congress, including the Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act of 2009 which would improve both inpatient and outpatient coverage for breast cancer treatment.  Additionally, it would prohibit group health plans from restricting benefits for any hospital stay to less than 48 hours for a mastectomy or 24 hours for lymph node dissection.  Decisions regarding the care of the patient should be made by the physician, in consultation with the patient – not by a bureaucrat from the insurance company.

I have also co-sponsored the Mammography Availability Act of 2009 which would require that group and individual health plans provide annual mammography for women 40 years of age and older.  Although men can get breast cancer, it is rare.  Being a woman and growing older are two of the most significant risk factors of being diagnosed with breast cancer, and early detection through mammography can save lives.  I have also fought for increased funding for breast cancer research through the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), both of which are central to educating and empowering women.

I encourage you to visit the NIH and CDC websites at www.nih.gov or www.cdc.gov for more information on breast cancer risk factors, prevention, detection, and other related topics.   Some North Carolinians may even be eligible for free or reduced rate mammograms.  To find out if you are eligible, visit www.bcccp.ncdhhs.gov or call 919-707-5300. 

DeAngelo Williams may be wearing his pink cleats in honor of his mother, who has struggled with breast cancer, or for her three sisters who died from it.  Unfortunately, his story is not unlike many others across our state, and we must work together in a search for a cure.  If you are a woman over 40, get screened this month.  It’s the best gift you can give yourself and your family.  Let’s honor those who have lost the battle, celebrate those who have survived, and stand with those courageous individuals fighting breast cancer, wholly committed to wiping out this devastating disease.