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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2015 - 2016
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | September 19, 2016 02:46 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Tarah Toohil |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | September 2016 as "Mesothelioma Awareness Month" Resolution |
| In the near future, I plan to introduce a House Resolution recognizing September 2016 as “Mesothelioma Awareness Month” in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Mesothelioma is a rare and aggressive cancer that affects the smooth lining of the chest, lungs, heart and abdomen, and it most often forms as a result of microscopic asbestos particles. The most common type of mesothelioma is pleural mesothelioma, which accounts for more than 2,500 cases per year in the United States. It is reported that only 10-20% of patients with pleural mesothelioma are diagnosed early enough for surgical intervention. Mesothelioma normally takes decades after exposure for asbestos to form and begin presenting symptoms, but it is a cancer that can affect anyone regardless of gender, age or ethnicity. While symptoms can vary depending on the area of the body in which the disease originates, some common symptoms of mesothelioma are fluid in the chest or abdomen, pain, shortness of breath, loss of appetite, heart failure, fatigue, cough and weight loss. Diagnosis of mesothelioma, however, can often be difficult since symptoms may be confused with a number of common ailments. Mesothelioma Claimed More Than 37,000 Lives in the United States From 1999 to 2013. Since treatment options are limited, and there is currently no known cure, continued research is vitally important. I am introducing this resolution in hope that it will increase awareness across the Commonwealth about this aggressive cancer. Please join me in cosponsoring this important resolution. Thank you for your interest and support. |
Introduced as HR1021