DeLauro Celebrates National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, National Mammography Day

NEW HAVEN, CT—Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-3) today joined physicians and advocates for breast cancer screenings to celebrate National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and National Mammography Day.

“At some point in their lives, one in eight women will suffer from breast cancer,” said DeLauro this morning. “That amounts to almost a quarter of a million women this year alone. Sadly, around 40,000 of them will die. These are terrible figures. Every death is a tragedy. But it is also true that the mortality rate from breast cancer has dropped by more than a third since the mid-1980s. One of the principal reasons for that decline is the availability of earlier detection through screening. Like all cancers, the earlier it can be detected, the easier it will be to treat.

“But too few women receive regular screenings. Prevention is crucial. Mammograms save lives. I will always fight to make them available to the widest possible range of women.”

In addition to DeLauro, speakers at today’s press conference were: Dr. Robert Russo, past president of the CT State Medical Society; Dr. Henry Jacobs, President of the CT State Medical Society; Dr. Kathleen LaVorgna, immediate past president of the CT State Medical Society; Mary Ann Wasil, breast cancer survivor, and Founder, President and CEO of the Get In Touch Foundation; and Dr. Nancy Cappello, Executive Director and Founder of Are You Dense, Inc.

“I see cases of cervical cancer one every twenty years” stated Jacobs. “I see ovarian and uterine cancer cases every five years. But, I see breast cancer cases every few weeks. We find it imperative that screening recommendations are maintained while at the same time supporting efforts to increase access to breast screening services and further coverage for women identified with dense breast tissue.”

LaVorgna further stated, "The best cure for breast cancer is early detection. We have means for identifying people who are at high risk for this illness and methods for early detection of this disease. Both are preventative health strategies that should be readily available and accessible to all. "

Earlier this year, the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) issued recommendations that would make it more difficult for women ages 40-49 to receive annual breast cancer screenings. DeLauro joined over 60 of her colleagues in calling on the Department of Health and Human Services to oppose those recommendations.

DeLauro has introduced legislation, the Breast Density and Mammography Reporting Act, which would require mammogram reports to include information on breast density. The bill also encourages health care providers to discuss whether further testing is necessary with patients who have high breast density.

DeLauro is also the author of the bipartisan Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act, which she has championed since 1996. That legislation would ensure that the decision of when to leave the hospital after a lumpectomy or mastectomy is made by a woman and her health care provider. Currently women can be forced out sooner, even just hours after their procedure, in what is commonly referred to as a ‘drive-through mastectomy.’


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