For Immediate Release
September 10, 2004
Proclamation by the President: National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, 2004
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
(Chillicothe, Ohio)
Immediate Release
September 10, 2004
NATIONAL OVARIAN CANCER AWARENESS MONTH, 2004
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION
Ovarian cancer affects thousands of Americans each year. During
this time of tremendous medical breakthroughs, we are seeing progress
in the effort to overcome this disease, but our work is not finished.
National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month provides an opportunity for our
citizens to learn more about early detection and treatment for this
deadly cancer.
Although new cases of ovarian cancer in the United States have been
decreasing for more than a decade, the American Cancer Society
estimates that about 25,000 women will be diagnosed this year and over
16,000 will die from the disease. Family and personal history can
affect the likelihood of developing ovarian cancer. Women should talk
with their doctors and health care providers about preventative
screenings and the benefits and risks of different tests.
Understanding risk factors and the importance of a healthy lifestyle
plays a vital role in our efforts to save lives and reduce the number
of women who suffer from ovarian cancer.
As with many cancers, the chance for successful treatment of
ovarian cancer increases with early detection. The medical community
continues to work on developing an effective screening test that can
detect the disease in its early stages when symptoms may not exist or
are very difficult to diagnose. The National Institutes of Health has
invested more than $120 million this year in ovarian cancer research
and expects to invest more in 2005. Through the National Cancer
Institute's Ovarian Cancer Prevention and Early Detection Study,
scientists are following women at increased risk for the cancer to
assess how preemptive surgery and screening methods affect ovarian
cancer occurrence and quality of life. The Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention's Ovarian Cancer Control Initiative will also focus on
factors related to early detection and treatment.
The United States continues to stay on the leading edge of new
discoveries in medicine, and my Administration remains committed to
providing the resources necessary to learn the causes, understand the
symptoms, and find a cure for ovarian cancer. During this month, we
reaffirm our dedication to these goals and recognize the strength and
courage of the women who have suffered from this disease. We also
recognize the families, friends, and loved ones who support and
encourage these brave women. By working together, we can bring the
hope of a healthier future to women in the fight against ovarian
cancer.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States
of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution
and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim September 2004 as
National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. I call upon the people of the
United States to observe this month with appropriate programs and
activities.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this tenth
day of September, in the year of our Lord two thousand four, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and
twenty-ninth.
GEORGE W. BUSH
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