[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 15643]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           PANCREATIC CANCER

  (Mr. FITZPATRICK asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Mr. FITZPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, today we recognize the first ever World 
Pancreatic Cancer Day in an effort to shed a light on this disease as 
well as the determination to eradicate it.
  Pancreatic cancer is the only major cancer that still has a 5-year 
survival rate in the single digits, at just 6 percent. That is in stark 
contrast to the overall survival rate for cancer, which is now 67 
percent. Even more alarming, pancreatic cancer is now estimated to 
become the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United 
States by 2020.
  While the threat of this disease is real, pancreatic cancer does not 
have to be a death sentence. But we need to act now. Working together, 
we can push back against this diagnosis. With the combined efforts of 
leaders on Capitol Hill, including the many physicians who serve in 
this body, medical professionals, community groups, survivors, and 
families, we can generate awareness and renewed focus on beating 
pancreatic cancer once and for all.
  I urge my colleagues to reach across the aisle to support these goals 
through commonsense funding proposals and legislation that benefits 
all.

                          ____________________