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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
RECOGNIZING SEPTEMBER AS OVARIAN CANCER AWARENESS MONTH IN COOK COUNTY
WHEREAS, ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer deaths among women in the United States and causes more deaths than any other gynecologic cancer; and
WHEREAS, in the United States, a woman’s lifetime risk of being diagnosed with ovarian cancer is about 1 in 78; and
WHEREAS, the American Cancer Society estimates 19,768 cases of ovarian cancer will be newly diagnosed in 2024 and 12,740 individuals will die from the disease nationwide; and
WHEREAS, ovarian cancer is the deadliest of all female reproductive system cancers; and
WHEREAS, the five-year survival rate for ovarian cancer is over 90 percent for individuals diagnosed in early stages; and
WHEREAS, while mammograms can detect breast cancer and Pap smears may detect cervical cancer, there is no reliable early detection test for ovarian cancer; and
WHEREAS, in June 2007, the first national consensus statement on ovarian cancer symptoms was developed to provide consistency in describing symptoms to make it easier for women to learn and remember those symptoms; and
WHEREAS, Black women with ovarian cancer are more likely to have late-stage diagnoses, receive lower quality clinical services, and have lower five-year survival rates than non-Black women; and
WHEREAS, women of color, low-income women, and women living in rural areas face more barriers to accessing standard quality of care and are more likely to receive care at a facility that has poorer adherence to National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) treatment guidelines; and
WHEREAS, too many people remain unaware that the symptoms of ovarian cancer often include bloating, pelvic or abdominal pain, difficulty eating or feeling full quickly, urinary symptoms, and several other vague symptoms that are often easily confused with other diseases; and
WHEREAS, improved awareness of the symptoms of ovarian cancer by the public and healthcare providers may lead to a quicker diagnoses; and
WHEREAS, the lack of an early detection test for ovarian cancer, combined with its vague symptoms, mean that approximately 80 percent of cases of ovarian cancer are detected at an advanced stage; and
WHEREAS, persistent issues collecting and reporting data related to ovarian cancer risk, treatment, and outcomes are particularly pronounced and impede the development of effective policy; and
WHEREAS, all women are at risk for ovarian cancer, but approximately 20% of women who are diagnosed with ovarian cancer have a hereditary predisposition to ovarian cancer, which places them at higher risk; and
WHEREAS, scientists and physicians have uncovered changes in the BRCA genes that some women inherit from their parents, which may make those women 30 times more likely to develop ovarian cancer; and
WHEREAS, family history has been found to play an important role in accurately assessing the risk of developing ovarian cancer and medical experts believe that family history should be taken into consideration during an annual physician’s visits; and
WHEREAS, women who are at risk of Ovarian cancer may undertake prophylactic measures, such as opportunistic salpingectomy, to help reduce the risk of developing this disease; and
WHEREAS, guidelines issued by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network and Society of Gynecologic Oncology recommend that individuals diagnosed with ovarian cancer receive genetic counseling and genetic testing regardless of their family history; and
WHEREAS, studies consistently show that compliance with these guidelines is alarmingly low, with recently published National Cancer Institute-funded research finding that in 2013 and 2014, only one-third of ovarian cancer survivors have undergone testing; and
WHEREAS, according to a 2016 consensus report by the National Academy of Medicine, “there remain surprising gaps in the fundamental knowledge about and understanding of ovarian cancer” across all aspects of the disease; and
WHEREAS, ongoing investments in ovarian cancer research and education and awareness efforts are critical to closing these gaps and improving survivorship for women with ovarian cancer; and
WHEREAS, President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden reignited the Cancer Moonshot, setting ambitious goals to cut the overall cancer death rate by at least half in the next 25 years, turning more cancers from death sentences into treatable diseases and working to improve the experience for patients and their families; and
WHEREAS, on August 30, 2024, President Joe Biden proclaimed September as National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. President Biden called upon citizens, government agencies, private businesses, nonprofit organizations, the media, and other interested groups to increase awareness around detection and treatment of Ovarian cancer; and
WHEREAS, annually in September, Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance (OCRA) and Community Partner organizations such as the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition, hold a number of events to increase public awareness of ovarian cancer and its symptoms; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, the month of September be hereby declared Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month in the County of Cook.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Cook County Board of Commissioners shall support the goals and ideals of National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month.
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