[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 133 (Wednesday, September 29, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1789]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


             GYNECOLOGIC CANCER EDUCATION AND AWARENESS ACT

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                               speech of

                          HON. SANDER M. LEVIN

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 28, 2010

  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to urge the passage of H.R. 2941, to 
renew and enhance ``Johanna's Law'' to increase public awareness and 
knowledge of gynecological cancers. I am pleased to have introduced 
this important bill with Representatives DeLauro, Issa, and Burton.
  Johanna's Law established a national public information campaign to 
educate women and health care providers about the risk factors and 
early warning signs of gynecologic cancers. This bill before the House 
carries on that important work by extending funding of Johanna's Law 
for 3 more years, from 2011 to 2014, and providing funds for 
demonstration projects to identify the most effective educational 
tools.
  The law was named after Michigan resident Johanna Silver Gordon, a 
loving mother and dedicated public school teacher, who, despite 
visiting her doctor regularly, was blindsided by a late stage diagnosis 
of ovarian cancer, learning only after her diagnosis that the symptoms 
she had been experiencing were common symptoms of that disease. 
Tragically, Johanna lost her life to ovarian cancer 3\1/2\ years after 
being diagnosed.
  Johanna's story is far too common. Although, it has been 10 years 
since Johanna Silver died of ovarian cancer, and 4 years since Congress 
passed this important legislation, each year over 71,000 women in U.S. 
are diagnosed with a gynecologic cancer and over 26,000 women are lost 
to one of these serious cancers. Many of those deaths could be 
prevented if more women knew and recognized the early symptoms of 
gynecologic cancers and received prompt treatment. For all 
gynecological cancers, early detection dramatically improves a woman's 
chance of survival. For instance, ovarian cancer causes more deaths in 
women than any other gynecological cancer; however, it has a 90 percent 
survival rate if detected in Stage One, but only a 20 percent survival 
rate if detected in Stage Three or Four.
  Right now, awareness, education, early diagnosis, and treatment are 
the most effective weapons we have in our war against gynecological 
cancers. I urge my colleagues to support Johanna's Law so we can 
prevail in our battle against these terrible cancers that cut short the 
lives of our mothers, daughters, sisters, wives, partners and friends. 
I urge the House to join me in voting for this vital legislation.

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