1Designating the month of November 2014 as "Pancreatic Cancer
2Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania.

3WHEREAS, An estimated 38,460 people die from pancreatic
4cancer annually; and

5WHEREAS, Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest cancers
6and is the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths in the United
7States; and

8WHEREAS, When symptoms of pancreatic cancer present
9themselves, it is usually too late for an optimistic prognosis
10and 75% of pancreatic cancer patients die within the first year
11of their diagnoses while 95% of pancreatic cancer patients die
12within five years; and

1WHEREAS, Of all the racial/ethnic groups in the United
2States, African Americans have the highest incidence of
3pancreatic cancer, between 34% and 70% higher than the other
4groups; and

5WHEREAS, Approximately 2,000 deaths occur annually in
6Pennsylvania as a result of the disease; and

7WHEREAS, There is no cure for pancreatic cancer and there
8have been no significant improvements in survival rates in the
9last 40 years;

10WHEREAS, The Federal Government invests significantly less
11money in pancreatic cancer research than it does in any of the
12other leading cancer killers; and

13WHEREAS, Pancreatic cancer research constitutes approximately
142% of the National Cancer Institute's Federal research funding,
15a figure far too low given the severity of the disease, its
16mortality rate and how little is known about how to eradicate
17it; and

18WHEREAS, The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network is the first
19and only national patient advocacy organization that serves the
20pancreatic cancer community in Pennsylvania and nationwide by
21focusing its efforts on public policy, research funding, patient
22services and public awareness and education related to
23developing effective treatments and a cure for pancreatic
24cancer; and

25WHEREAS, The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network supports
26patients currently battling pancreatic cancer, as well as the
27families of those who have lost their lives to the disease, and
28is committed to nothing less than a cure; and

29WHEREAS, The good health and well-being of the residents of
30this Commonwealth are enhanced as a direct result of increased

1awareness about pancreatic cancer and research into early
2detection, causes and effective treatments; therefore be it

3RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate the
4month of November 2014 as "Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month" in
5Pennsylvania.