Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of House Resolution 727, which expresses the House of Representatives’ support for the goals and ideals of National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. As many of my colleagues hopefully know, on August 31, 2009, President Obama issued a Presidential Proclamation officially declaring September National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, and calling on every American to do their part to increase awareness of what Americans can do to prevent and control ovarian cancer. Rising to the challenge, throughout September, all across the Nation, men and women came together for events to both raise awareness of this terrible scourge and to show their support for the women and families struggling with this horrible disease–the deadliest of the gynecologic cancers.

While National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month may be over for 2009, the fight against ovarian cancer goes on. When it is detected early, ovarian cancer is very treatable; unfortunately, ovarian cancer is one of the most difficult cancers to diagnose because symptoms are sometimes subtle and may be easily confused with those of other diseases. As a result, only 29 percent of ovarian cancer cases in the U.S. are diagnosed in the early stages. When the disease is detected before it has spread beyond the ovaries, more than 95 percent of women will survive longer than five years. But, in cases where the disease is not detected until it reaches the advanced stage, the five-year survival rate plummets to a devastating 25 percent.

As there is still no reliable and easy-to-administer screening test for ovarian cancer, like the Pap smear for cervical cancer or the mammogram for breast cancer; early recognition of symptoms is clearly the best way to save a woman’s life. Increased education and awareness about ovarian cancer, along with recognition of women who are at higher risk for developing ovarian cancer, is the only way that women and their doctors will be able to stop ignoring or misinterpreting the subtle symptoms of the disease.

In 2007, the American Cancer Society and the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance came to a consensus on the identifiable symptoms of ovarian cancer. If a woman experiences any of the following symptoms for at least three weeks–bloating, pelvic or abdominal pain, difficulty eating or feeling full quickly, frequent or urgent need to urinate–she should immediately see her gynecologist. I urge all of my colleagues to remember those symptoms and I ask each and every one of you to please make a special point of discussing them with your mothers, your wives and your daughters; and encourage them to talk about these symptoms with other women. The simple fact is that ignorance kills. The more women know what to look for, the more lives we can save. If we love our mothers, our wives and our daughters, and I am sure that we do, then we owe it to them to make the effort to talk with them about ovarian cancer.

The word “cancer” evokes powerful emotions. Along with many of my colleagues, I know firsthand how devastating cancer can be to the individual who has been diagnosed as well as their family. And I would like to pay a small homage to a constituent of mine and a dear friend, Kolleen Stacy, who recently lost her own personal battle with ovarian cancer. Kolleen first brought the issue of ovarian cancer to my attention, and it was her passion to protect other women from the scourge of ovarian cancer that convinced me to champion this cause in the People’s House. Today’s debate is a victory for all women, but in my mind, the fact that we are having this debate, the fact that in 2009 there is even such a thing as National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month is a tribute to the dedication and commitment of women like Kolleen Stacy. God bless you Kolleen.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support House Resolution 727. It is literally a matter of life and death.