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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
COOK COUNTY WOMEN’S CAUCUS HONORING BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR MELISSA BORATYN, BRIGHT PINK AND RECOGNIZING OCTOBER AS BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH IN COOK COUNTY
WHEREAS, October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and
WHEREAS, in the United States, more than 268,000 women and approximately 2,600 men are diagnosed with breast cancer annually; and
WHEREAS, for women in the United States, breast cancer death rates are higher than those for any other cancer, besides lung cancer; and
WHEREAS, a woman’s risk of breast cancer nearly doubles if she has a first-degree relative (mother, sister, daughter) who has been diagnosed with breast cancer; and
WHEREAS, Melissa Boratyn, a Chicago resident who was diagnosed with Breast cancer at age 23 and now, 8 years later continues her battle with metastatic breast cancer, and
WHEREAS, Melissa Boratyn met her husband Jimmy Boratyn while undergraduates at Loyola University Chicago, and
WHEREAS, Melissa Boratyn and her husband and directing partner Jimmy Boratyn produced “Ginger the Movie” as a graduate school thesis project at DePaul University in Chicago, and
WHEREAS, at its premier in September 2018 “Ginger” won “Best in Fest” at the 10th Annual Ladies Film Festival in Beverly Hills, California; and
WHEREAS, “Ginger” was also awarded the “World Humanitarian Award” at the Queens Film Festival in New York, and
WHEREAS, after one year of winning countless additional film festival awards, “Ginger” will be released to the public to achieve it’s intended goal of “Helping others”; and
WHEREAS, another champion in the fight against breast cancer is Bright Pink, founded by Lindsay Avner, who at the age of 23, became the youngest woman in the country to undergo a risk-reducing double mastectomy,; having lost her grandmother and great-grandmother to breast cancer before she was born, and watching her mother fight both breast and ovarian cancer when she was only 12; and
WHEREAS, Lindsay felt a compelling responsibility to create a warm and welcoming community that provided the education and support she had been seeking, and in 2007, Lindsay started Bright Pink, which quickly became a standout organization in the breast and ovarian health landscape, impacting and saving thousands of lives each day; and
WHEREAS, Bright Pink is the only national non-profit focused on the prevention and early detection of breast and ovarian cancer in young women; and
WHEREAS, the Cook County Board of Commissioners wishes to honor breast cancer patients, survivors and their families, recognizing the courage and strength of the over 3.4 million Americans who are battling this terrible disease and remembers loved ones whose lives have been affected by breast cancer;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the President and Members of the Board of Commissioners do hereby proclaim October 2019 as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month in Cook County; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Cook County Board of Commissioners Women’s Caucus proudly honors Melissa Boratyn in recognition of her outstanding efforts to help all people battling breast cancer; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the movie “Ginger” be recognized during National Breast Cancer Awareness month in October 2019, encouraging all private and public entities to foster and advocate awareness of breast cancer in young women; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that Bright Pink be recognized during National Breast Cancer Awareness month for helping to save lives from breast and ovarian cancer by empowering women to know their risk and manage their health proactively; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that this text be spread upon the official proceedings of this Honorable Body and that a suitable copy be presented to Melissa Boratyn and to the CEO of Bright Pink, Katie Thiede as a symbol of our respect and esteem.
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