[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 162 (Wednesday, October 26, 2011)]
[House]
[Page H7077]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Roybal-Allard) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, as National Breast Cancer Awareness 
Month comes to a close, I rise to honor our breast cancer warriors who 
are bravely battling this deadly disease.
  According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 2.6 million 
women and men are living with breast cancer in this country. It is 
estimated that this year alone there will be 290,000 new cases of 
breast cancer, and almost 40,000 patients will lose their battle with 
this disease.
  Until 5 years ago I would hear these statistics, sympathize with 
personal stories of suffering from this tragic disease, and reaffirm my 
commitment to support finding a cure. But I never fully understood what 
it meant to have a family diagnosed with breast cancer until the day my 
sister, Lillian, called to tell me she had breast cancer. At that 
moment, I fully understood the personal sense of helplessness, anguish, 
and disbelief that had been described to me so many times before. Now 
I, too, found myself hoping and praying that I would wake up from the 
nightmare that was my sister's reality.
  Like so many other breast cancer warriors, Lillian bravely confronted 
her cancer, determined to overcome her devastating illness and the 
intensely physical and deeply emotional challenge it presented. As my 
sister moves towards her fifth year free of cancer, there is much to be 
hopeful for.
  From 1998 to 2007, breast cancer incidence rates in the U.S. 
decreased by about 2 percent a year, due in part, it is thought, to the 
reduced use of hormone replacement therapy. Since about 1990, death 
rates from best cancer have also been declining, with larger decreases 
in women younger than 50.
  While breast cancer is still the second leading cause of death in 
women, exceeded only by lung cancer, the chance that breast cancer will 
be responsible for a woman's death has been reduced to 1 in 36. These 
dramatic improvements in life expectancy are believed to be the result 
of earlier detection through screening and increased awareness, as well 
as improved treatment.
  These improvements also stand as a testament to the investments 
Congress has made in prevention, screening, and researching new 
treatments for the disease. But they must not be the final frontier in 
our efforts to make breast cancer a disease of the past.
  I was recently and personally reminded of this fact because once 
again, breast cancer has attacked someone who is close to my heart. 
Earlier this summer, Monica, my longtime district office manager, was 
diagnosed with invasive breast cancer. She faced this unbelievable 
challenge with characteristic grace and strength.
  With family, friends, and colleagues, she has been upfront and upbeat 
about her illness. And always a stylish dresser, she has donned a 
number of very fashionable head scarves.
  After first undergoing several months of chemotherapy, last Friday 
Monica had successful surgery and is home recovering. I want her to 
know we are praying for her continued strength and speedy recovery.
  Like so many other breast cancer warriors, Monica's extraordinary 
courage as she fights against her disease is an example of the power of 
the human spirit to survive, and it gives renewed fervor to my personal 
commitment to fight this disease.
  As long as women in our country face a 1 in 8 chance of developing 
breast cancer, we must continue to invest in improved and earlier 
detection of the disease, better treatments, and educational outreach.
  For Lillian, for Monica, and for my colleague who is here, Debbie 
Wasserman Schultz, and for all our mothers, sisters, daughters, and 
friends, let us never abandon our fight to find a cure and finally 
eradicate breast cancer in our country and ultimately in the world.

                          ____________________