In the near future, we intend to introduce a resolution designating October 2024 as Breast Cancer Awareness Month and recognizing October 18, 2024, as National Mammography Day in Pennsylvania.

Breast cancer affects individuals across the state and nation, impacting both women and men. It is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women in the United States, with one in eight women facing a diagnosis in their lifetime and one in one hundred patients are male.

Fortunately, nearly all types of breast cancer can be successfully treated if detected early and treated promptly. When diagnosed at its earliest stage, the five-year survival rate is 99%. However, only 64% of cases are caught early, and men are often diagnosed at later stages due to a lack of awareness and information.. We aim to highlight the importance of staying informed and raising awareness on the risk factors, detection methods and treatments available for breast cancer to our fellow Pennsylvanians.

National Mammography Day, held on the third Friday of October, reminds us that early detection Is the most effective defense against breast cancer. A mammogram can often identify the disease before any physical signs develop or are present, greatly improving the chances of successful treatment.

In recognizing Breast Cancer Awareness Month this year, the PA Breast Cancer Coalition will kick off its initiatives by turning the State Capitol Fountain Pink on Tuesday, October 1 at 11AM. The Coalition is a non-profit organization that has been supporting the Commonwealth for over 30 years by funding research, providing mammograms, assisting lawmakers, and informing the public about breast cancer.

We hope you will join us at the Fountain and encourage you to wear pink – the emblematic color of breast cancer awareness – to honor survivors, remember those lost to the disease, and to support the progress we are making together to defeat breast cancer.
 
To help raise awareness of this disease and the importance of early diagnosis in combating it, please join us in marking October 2024 as Breast Cancer Awareness Month and October 18, 2024, as National Mammography Day in Pennsylvania.