[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 41 (Thursday, March 4, 2021)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 12519-12521]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-04644]


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  Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 41 / Thursday, March 4, 2021 / 
Presidential Documents  

[[Page 12519]]


                Proclamation 10152 of March 1, 2021

                
National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, 2021

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                For my family, for the Vice President's family, and for 
                millions of families across our Nation, the fight 
                against cancer is personal. Too many of us know the 
                sinking feeling of shock and devastation when a loved 
                one receives a diagnosis of cancer--too many of us know 
                the unspeakable pain when the fight cannot be won. Each 
                year, colorectal cancer claims more than 50,000 
                American lives, making it the second leading cause of 
                cancer deaths in our Nation. National Colorectal Cancer 
                Awareness Month is a chance to bring greater attention 
                to this terrible disease and to offer what families 
                living through it need most: hope.

                In this battle, hope and awareness are intertwined. 
                Because the risk of death from colorectal cancer drops 
                dramatically when the cancer is caught early, we can 
                save lives by calling attention to risk factors and 
                increasing routine screening. This month is our chance 
                to improve public understanding of colorectal cancer 
                risk, inform people about screening recommendations, 
                and set our sights on broadening prevention strategies, 
                improving treatments, and finding a cure.

                Colorectal cancer can afflict anyone, but the risk is 
                higher among some Americans than others. When we lost 
                the trailblazing actor Chadwick Boseman to colon cancer 
                last year after a heroic fight, it served as a reminder 
                that this disease disproportionately impacts 
                communities of color--and is particularly fatal among 
                Black Americans. Age, too, is a factor, as the majority 
                of cases occur in people over 50 years old. People with 
                increased risk for developing the disease include 
                certain racial and ethnic minority populations, as well 
                as individuals with inflammatory bowel disease, a 
                family history of colorectal cancer, or other risk 
                factors such as tobacco use. For more information on 
                risk factors, you can visit www.cancer.gov.

                As with so many diseases, the best defense against 
                colorectal cancer is early detection. Symptoms can 
                include blood in the stool; stomach pain, aches, or 
                cramps that do not go away; and weight loss without a 
                known cause. But many cases have no symptoms, 
                especially early in the disease, when colorectal cancer 
                is most curable. A recent Government study estimated 
                that if all 50-year-old adults were screened for 
                colorectal cancer, we could prevent approximately 
                35,000 deaths. That is why it is so crucial, especially 
                for Americans over 50 or otherwise at increased risk, 
                to receive regular screenings. And although the disease 
                is relatively rare in younger adults, the incidence of 
                colorectal cancer has been rising among this group. No 
                matter your age, every American should take possible 
                colorectal cancer symptoms seriously and bring them to 
                the attention of your health care provider.

                I know how hard it is right now to be mindful of 
                preventive care. The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted so 
                many parts of our lives, including, for far too many, 
                the routine checkups and screenings that are so vital 
                to guarding against disease. I urge every American to 
                take the precautions they need in order to stay 
                vigilant against cancer--don't delay your recommended 
                screenings, doctor's visits, and treatments. You and 
                your healthcare provider can discuss how to balance the 
                risks and benefits of

[[Page 12520]]

                cancer screening, taking into account medical history, 
                family history, other risk factors, and the time 
                between screenings.

                My Administration is strongly committed to improving 
                the prevention and treatment of colorectal cancer, and 
                to giving every American access to quality, affordable 
                health coverage. Because of the Affordable Care Act, 
                most health insurance plans must cover a set of 
                preventive services with no out-of-pocket cost. This 
                includes colorectal cancer screening in adults age 50 
                and older. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, my 
                Administration also announced a Special Enrollment 
                Period for the Health Insurance Marketplace now through 
                May 15th, so that millions of uninsured individuals and 
                families can sign up for health coverage and gain these 
                protections. I encourage you to visit 
                www.healthcare.gov to explore your eligibility and get 
                covered.

                Above all, I want every family facing this fight--and 
                all those that will in the future--to know that there 
                is hope. As President, I am committed to ending cancer 
                as we know it. That mission motivated me every day when 
                I led the Cancer Moonshot Initiative in 2016 to speed 
                up progress toward prevention, treatment, and cures. 
                Thanks to that effort, researchers, oncologists, care 
                providers, philanthropists, data and tech experts, 
                advocates, patients, and survivors have joined forces 
                to double the rate of progress toward a cure for 
                cancer. One particular program, Accelerating Colorectal 
                Cancer Screening and follow-up through Implementation 
                Science (ACCSIS), has made strides to improve 
                colorectal cancer screening, follow-up, and referral 
                for care among populations that have low screening 
                rates, including communities of color and rural 
                Americans. You can read more about this important work 
                by visiting www.cancer.gov and www.cdc.gov/cancer.

                This month, I encourage all Americans to talk to family 
                and friends about getting screened. If we look out for 
                one another, we can reduce suffering, increase the odds 
                of cancer survival, keep more families whole, and win 
                this fight once and for all.

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of 
                the United States of America, by virtue of the 
                authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws 
                of the United States, do hereby proclaim March 2021 as 
                National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. I encourage 
                all citizens, government agencies, private businesses, 
                non-profit organizations, and other groups to join in 
                activities that will increase awareness and prevention 
                of colorectal cancer.

[[Page 12521]]

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                first day of March, in the year of our Lord two 
                thousand twenty-one, and of the Independence of the 
                United States of America the two hundred and forty-
                fifth.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 2021-04644
Filed 3-3-21; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3295-F1-P