By Carona                                             S.C.R. No. 29
         77R5786 MMS-D                           
                                CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
 1-1           WHEREAS, Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of
 1-2     cancer death for men and women combined in the United States, and
 1-3     in the year 2001 the disease is expected to kill an estimated
 1-4     60,000 individuals in this country; and
 1-5           WHEREAS, More than 8,000 individuals in Texas were diagnosed
 1-6     with colorectal cancer in the year 2000, and it is estimated that
 1-7     in the year 2001 more than 130,000 new cases of colorectal cancer
 1-8     will be diagnosed in the United States; and
 1-9           WHEREAS, Adopting a healthy diet at a young age can
1-10     significantly reduce the risk of developing colorectal cancer, and
1-11     the importance of a good diet to overall health is being
1-12     highlighted by the designation of March as National Nutrition
1-13     Awareness Month; and
1-14           WHEREAS, Regular exams also play an important role in
1-15     fighting colorectal cancer, for periodic screenings can detect
1-16     polyps that lead to this disease; moreover, when colorectal cancer
1-17     is detected in the early stages, the survival rate is over 90
1-18     percent; and
1-19           WHEREAS, In spite of the great benefit of screening for
1-20     colorectal cancer, less than 50 percent of individuals above the
1-21     age of 50 receive annual screenings for this disorder; and
1-22           WHEREAS, Education about methods of prevention and the
1-23     importance of screening for early symptoms can play a significant
1-24     role in promoting the health of Texas citizens, and the State of
 2-1     Texas should help inform the public about colorectal cancer
 2-2     prevention and screening; now, therefore, be it
 2-3           RESOLVED, That the 77th Legislature of the State of Texas
 2-4     hereby designate March 2001 as Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month in
 2-5     Texas and encourage all citizens to learn more about the prevention
 2-6     and early detection of this widespread disease.