Runyan Says October is a Chance to Reflect

Column as submitted by the office of Rep. Jon Runyan:

As you may know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Many view this month as a time to commemorate their own recovery or that of someone close to them. For others we remember and mourn the loss of a loved one. For all of us, however, this month offers a chance to reflect on the advances we have made in fighting this disease, and reminds us that there is still a great deal of work to be done.

The National Cancer Institute has determined breast cancer to be the second most common type of cancer among women in the United States, with more than 2.5 million American women having suffered from breast cancer at one point during their lifetime.

The Susan G. Komen Foundation estimates that in just 2012 there will be nearly 227,000 new cases of breast cancer diagnosed and nearly 40,000 deaths as a result of breast cancer. New Jersey in particular has one of the highest incidences of breast cancer in the United States, with roughly 130 women out of every 100,000 developing breast cancer. 

If you would like to learn more about breast cancer, please visit the National Cancer Institute at the National Institute of Health (NIH) at www.cancer.gov. 

We must continue to work toward finding a cure for breast cancer, as well as a way to identify and prevent breast cancer before it threatens the lives of the women we all love and care about. This can be accomplished through a continued commitment to science, research, and advocacy as well as by educating young women on the signs and risk factors for breast cancer. You can count on me to lend my name and support to finding a cure for breast cancer.

Jon Runyan
Member of Congress