S.C.R. No. 136 SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1-1 WHEREAS, Each year 13,000 men in Texas are diagnosed with 1-2 prostate cancer, causing it to be a major public health problem; 1-3 and 1-4 WHEREAS, Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of 1-5 cancer deaths for Texas men, with 2,200 men dying each year or 1-6 about 11 percent of all cancer deaths among men in Texas; and 1-7 WHEREAS, Early detection of prostate cancer is critical to 1-8 the preservation of life and health care strategies for those at 1-9 risk of prostate cancer; and 1-10 WHEREAS, The American Cancer Society recommends that every 1-11 man age 40 and older should have a digital rectal examination as 1-12 part of his regular annual physical checkup, and every man age 50 1-13 and older should have an annual prostate-specific antigen blood 1-14 test; and 1-15 WHEREAS, The American Cancer Society reports that survival 1-16 rates for all stages of prostate cancer have steadily improved, 1-17 increasing from 50 percent to 80 percent in the past 30 years; and 1-18 WHEREAS, African-American Texans have the highest incidence 1-19 of and mortality rates from prostate cancer; and 1-20 WHEREAS, It is in the public interest of this state to 1-21 promote public awareness of the benefits and values of the early 1-22 detection, prevention, and treatment of prostate cancer; and 1-23 WHEREAS, Improved public awareness of the disparity in 2-1 funding for prostate cancer research, as compared to the research 2-2 funding for other major killer diseases, will help bring a halt to 2-3 this inequity and thereby save men's lives; and 2-4 WHEREAS, The Congress of the United States of America has 2-5 designated a week as Prostate Cancer Awareness Week in an effort to 2-6 promote education, awareness, and understanding of this disease, 2-7 and it is appropriate for the Lone Star State to join men, their 2-8 families, and loved ones throughout Texas in recognizing the 2-9 importance of this disease; now, therefore, be it 2-10 RESOLVED, That the 74th Legislature of the State of Texas 2-11 hereby designate the week of each year that begins with Father's 2-12 Day as Texas Prostate Cancer Awareness Week, to promote the early 2-13 detection and treatment of prostate cancer, for the preservation of 2-14 lives, and to encourage men to have an annual examination.