CHARLESTON, W.Va. – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) today applauded passage of a bipartisan resolution she co-sponsored that declares September 2020 National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. The resolution is aimed at increasing awareness of prostate cancer, promoting early detection, and encouraging increased federal investments and research to improve treatment and discover a cure for the disease.
“As we continue to make progress in our medical research, testing and screening are critical when it comes to preventative efforts. With prostate cancer considered one of the leading causes of death for men in our country, it’s even more important that we do all that we can to increase access to these early detection resources. I was proud to join my Senate colleagues in introducing this resolution, and I am even prouder to see it passed here in the Senate,” said Senator Capito.
More than 3.1 million American men are living with prostate cancer, the most commonly diagnosed non-skin cancer and second-leading cause of cancer-related death among men in the United States. The American Cancer Society estimates that nearly 200,000 men will be diagnosed with and over 33,000 will die from prostate cancer in 2020. One-in-nine men in the U.S. will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetimes, and about 1-in-41 will die, with the mortality rate among African-American men double that of white men.
In addition to Senator Capito, other original cosponsors of the resolution include, Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Angus King (I-Maine), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.).
The full text of the resolution can be found here.
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