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2013 SESSION


HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 761
Commending Sisters Network, Inc., for its breast cancer awareness and prevention advocacy.

 

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, January 25, 2013
Agreed to by the Senate, January 31, 2013

 

WHEREAS, Sisters Network, Inc., a national African American breast cancer survivorship organization, was founded in 1994 to increase local and national attention on the devastating impact of breast cancer in the African American community; and

WHEREAS, Sisters Network, Inc., includes more than 3,000 persons and 40 affiliate survivor-run chapters nationwide; and

WHEREAS, breast cancer, a disease in which malignant cells form in the tissues of the breasts, afflicts women in the United States more than any other type of cancer except skin cancer and is second only to lung cancer as a cause of cancer death in women, according to the National Breast Cancer Foundation; and

WHEREAS, the National Breast Cancer Foundation reports that annually nearly 200,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer and more than 40,000 women will die of the disease and that approximately 1,700 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer and 450 men will die of the disease each year; and

WHEREAS, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among African American women and "African Americans have the highest death rate and shortest survival of any racial and ethnic group in the United States for most cancers," as reported by the American Cancer Society; and

WHEREAS, Sisters Network, Inc., is dedicated to saving lives and provides health care information that enables and empowers individuals to be diligent and wise health care consumers; among its trademark and successful national community outreach programs are the Gift for Life Block Walk, the Pink Ribbon Awareness Project, and Stop the Silence, which is targeted directly to African Americans and designed to promote candid dialogue about cancer and other life-threatening diseases; and

WHEREAS, in April 2010, Sisters Network, Inc., National Headquarters held the first National African American Breast Cancer 5K Walk/Run in Houston, Texas, and the historic event has become an annual walk to "Stop the Silence," to facilitate breast cancer awareness and hope for a cure; and

WHEREAS, Sisters Network, Inc., effectively educates African Americans; communicates to them information concerning the need for early breast cancer detection, prevention, and treatment; and emphasizes breast health awareness and survivorship in the African American community; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend Sisters Network, Inc., for its breast cancer awareness and prevention advocacy; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the president of Sisters Network Richmond, VA, Inc., requesting that she further disseminate copies of this resolution to her constituents in order that they may be apprised of the appreciation of the General Assembly for their outstanding service to the Commonwealth.