Reps. Kennedy, Haase, Lindberg, Barnett, Lisa Brown, Terry Brown, Constan, Crawford, Liss, Lund, Mayes, Nathan, Polidori, Roberts and Valentine offered the following resolution:

            House Resolution No. 344.  

            A resolution to declare November 2010 as Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month in the state of Michigan.

            Whereas, In 2010, an estimated 43,140 people will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer this year in the United States, and 36,800 will die from the disease; and

            Whereas, Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest cancers and the fourth-leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States; and

            Whereas, When symptoms of pancreatic cancer present themselves, it is usually too late for an optimistic prognosis, and 75 percent of pancreatic cancer patients die within the first year of their diagnosis while 94 percent of pancreatic cancer patients die within the first five years; and

            Whereas, Incidence of pancreatic cancer is approximately 50 percent higher in African Americans than in other ethnic groups; and

            Whereas, Approximately 1,330 deaths occurred in Michigan; and

            Whereas, There is no cure for pancreatic cancer, and there have been no significant improvements in survival rates in the last 40 years; and

            Whereas, The Federal Government invests significantly less money in pancreatic cancer research than it does in any of the other leading cancer killers; and pancreatic cancer research constitutes only 2 percent of the National Cancer Institute's federal research funding, a figure far too low given the severity of the disease, its mortality rate, and how little is known about how to arrest it; and

            Whereas, The Pancreatic Cancer Research & Education Act (S. 3320/H.R. 745) requires that the National Cancer Institute develop a strategic plan for combating pancreatic cancer and would help ensure that the necessary tools and resources are made available to carry out this strategic plan; and

            Whereas, The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network is the first and only national patient advocacy organization that serves the pancreatic cancer community in Michigan and nationwide by focusing its efforts on public policy, research funding, patient services, and public awareness and education related to developing effective treatments and a cure for pancreatic cancer; and

            Whereas, The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network and its affiliates in Michigan support those patients currently battling pancreatic cancer, as well as those who have lost their lives to the disease, and those who are committed to nothing less than a cure; and

            Whereas, The good health and well-being of the residents of Michigan are enhanced as a direct result of increased awareness about pancreatic cancer and research into early detection, causes, and effective treatments; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the House of Representatives, That the members of this legislative body declare November 2010 as Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month in the state of Michigan.  We support all pancreatic cancer patients in Michigan and throughout the country and the world.