DeLauro Kicks-off Annual Race for the Cure

Hartford, CT – Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro (Conn. - 3), an honorary chair for this year's Susan G. Komen Connecticut Race for the Cure, helped to help kick-off the annual event that supports breast health education, screening, treatment and research.

"Breast cancer is a disease that affects almost all Americans in one way or another. It reminds us that we are human and vulnerable. But, as every survivor knows, it brings out our resilience, our strength, and it makes us value—and really savor—every moment of our lives afterward. That is part of what this race is about today – giving life to our cause," said DeLauro. "We have come a long way in our fight against breast cancer, and progress has come at every corner."

As an ovarian cancer survivor, DeLauro has been a staunch advocate for cancer research and has been working on legislation for the past twelve years, the Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act, to allow a woman and her doctor to decide whether she should recuperate from a mastectomy or lumpectomy for at least 48 hours in the hospital.

"Our work is not over, as you well know. Nearly 185,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer were diagnosed last year and more than 40,000 died from it. A woman in this country has a 1 in 8 chance of developing breast cancer – these numbers are still too high," continued DeLauro. "One of my top priorities is enacting the Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act – the last thing any woman should be doing at that time is fighting with her insurance company. Last year it received a hearing for the very first time and then it passed the House with an overwhelming majority [421-2]. Now we have to take it the distance. I am hopeful that this is the year the bill finally reaches the president's desk and becomes law."

The Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act, which DeLauro introduced with Congressman Joe Barton (TX-06), enjoys broad support from advocacy organizations and in the Congress – 216 cosponsors in the House of Representatives and 14 cosponsors of the Senate companion legislation (S.688) introduced by Senators Olympia Snowe (R-ME) and Mary Landrieu (D-LA).

DeLauro added, "I join you here as a foot soldier in this fight for the cure, not only in my official capacity, but also as a cancer survivor. Outreach. Education. Screenings. These make early detection possible. They make beating cancer possible. They are powerful tools that give us real hope. I pledge to continue my work in Congress to eradicate breast cancer and provide all cancer patients with the health care they need and deserve."