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Rep. Bilirakis Cosponsors National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Week Bill

September 15, 2010
Bilirakis Blog
WASHINGTON, DC – Today I voted to designate the last week of September as National Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Week.


I also cosponsored H. Res. 1522, which passed unanimously, 408-0.

An estimated 750,000 people in the United States carry a gene mutation that causes a predisposition to breast and ovarian cancer, and 5 to 7 percent of breast cancers and 10 to 14 percent of ovarian cancers are hereditary. It's important that we bring awareness to this issue and help those who have been affected by hereditary cancers.

The bill also designates the last Wednesday of September as National Previvor Day. A `previvor' is a survivor of a predisposition (or increased risk) to cancer.

Click here to read the legislation.