THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE RESOLUTION

INTRODUCED BY KNOWLES, MILLARD, HEFFLEY, ELLIS, OBERLANDER, ADOLPH, BAKER, BOBACK, BROOKS, R. BROWN, V. BROWN, CAUSER, CLYMER, D. COSTA, DALEY, DiGIROLAMO, EMRICK, EVERETT, FARRY, FLECK, FREEMAN, GEIST, GEORGE, GILLEN, GILLESPIE, GINGRICH, GODSHALL, HAHN, HARHART, HENNESSEY, HESS, HICKERNELL, HORNAMAN, KAVULICH, M. K. KELLER, KILLION, KORTZ, LONGIETTI, MAHER, MAHONEY, MAJOR, MARSICO, METCALFE, MILNE, MIRABITO, MOUL, MURPHY, O'NEILL, PASHINSKI, PICKETT, QUINN, READSHAW, REICHLEY, ROCK, ROSS, SABATINA, SAINATO, SANTONI, CULVER, SONNEY, STERN, SWANGER, TALLMAN, TOBASH, VEREB, VULAKOVICH, WATSON AND YOUNGBLOOD, NOVEMBER 3, 2011

INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35, NOVEMBER 3, 2011  

A RESOLUTION

Designating the month of November 2011 as "Lung Cancer Awareness

Month" in Pennsylvania.

WHEREAS, Lung Cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in

this nation and this Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, Lung cancer will be responsible for more American

deaths in 2011 than breast, prostate, colon, liver and kidney

cancers combined; and

WHEREAS, There are an estimated 221,130 new cases of lung

cancer and 430 deaths from lung cancer each day in this nation,

resulting in approximately 157,000 deaths annually, nearly

129,000 were caused by smoking; and

WHEREAS, There will be an estimated 10,900 new cases of lung

cancer and 7,960 deaths from lung cancer this year in this

Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, Smoking is the number one cause of lung cancer,

contributing to 80% and 90% of lung cancer deaths in women and

men, respectively; and

WHEREAS, Other causes of lung cancer include exposure to

cancer-causing substances or carcinogens, such as asbestos,

radon, uranium, arsenic and certain petroleum products; and

WHEREAS, Symptoms of lung cancer include chronic cough,

hoarseness, coughing up blood, weight loss and loss of appetite,

shortness of breath, fever without a known reason, wheezing,

repeated bouts of bronchitis or pneumonia and chest pain; and

WHEREAS, In the early stages of lung cancer, these symptoms

are usually absent, although when the symptoms occur, the cancer

is most often advanced; and

WHEREAS, There is currently no standard or cost-effective

screening procedure for lung cancer; and

WHEREAS, Funding for lung cancer medical research falls far

short of that for diseases with lesser fatality rates; and

WHEREAS, To help educate residents of this Commonwealth, the

American Lung Association of Pennsylvania supports designating

the month of November 2011 as "Lung Cancer Awareness Month"; and

WHEREAS, It is fitting and proper for this Commonwealth to

join this nation in designating the month of November 2011 as

"Lung Cancer Awareness Month" so that through better education,

more cases of lung cancer may be found in the early stages when

the chance of long-term survival is enhanced; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate the

month of November 2011 as "Lung Cancer Awareness Month" in

Pennsylvania to promote greater public awareness, enhance

education, erase the stigma and increase early diagnosis of this

disease in order to reduce health costs and to save lives in

this Commonwealth.