[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 126, 112th Congress, 2nd Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
PROCLAMATION 8853--AUG. 31, 2012

Proclamation 8853 of August 31, 2012

National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, 2012

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

This year, thousands of American women will lose their lives to ovarian
cancer. They are mothers and daughters, sisters and grandmothers,
community members and cherished friends--and the absence they leave in
our hearts will be deeply felt forever. During National Ovarian Cancer
Awareness Month, we honor those we have lost, show our support for women
who bravely carry on the fight, and take action to lessen the tragic
toll ovarian cancer takes on families across our Nation.
Sadly, women are all too often diagnosed with this disease when it has
already reached an advanced stage. Because early detection is the best


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defense against ovarian cancer, it is essential that women know the risk
factors associated with the disease. Women who are middle-aged or older,
who have a family history of ovarian or breast cancer, or who have had
certain cancers in the past are at increased risk of developing ovarian
cancer. Any woman who thinks she is at risk of ovarian cancer--or who
experiences symptoms, including abdominal pain, pressure, or swelling--
should talk with her health care provider. To learn more, visit
www.Cancer.gov.
Ongoing progress in science and medicine is moving us forward in the
battle against ovarian cancer, and my Administration remains committed
to improving outcomes for women suffering from this devastating illness.
Through agencies across the Federal Government, we are continuing to
invest in research that paves the way for a new generation of tests and
treatments. Through the Centers for Disease Control's Inside Knowledge
campaign, we are working to raise awareness about the signs and symptoms
of ovarian cancer. The Affordable Care Act already bans insurance
companies from dropping a woman's coverage because she has ovarian
cancer, and from placing lifetime or restrictive annual dollar limits on
her coverage. Beginning in 2014, the law will also prohibit insurers
from denying coverage or charging higher premiums because a woman has
ovarian cancer--or any other pre-existing condition.
Ovarian cancer affects the lives of far too many women every year, and
the tragedy it leaves in its wake reverberates in communities across our
country. This month, we stand with all those who have known the pain of
ovarian cancer, and we rededicate ourselves to the pursuit of new and
better ways to prevent, detect, and treat this devastating disease.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, 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 September 2012 as
National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. I call upon citizens,
government agencies, organizations, health care providers, and research
institutions to raise ovarian cancer awareness and continue helping
Americans live longer, healthier lives. I also urge women across our
country to talk to their health care providers and learn more about this
disease.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirty-first day of
August, in the year of our Lord two thousand twelve, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-
seventh.
BARACK OBAMA