Page 1 of 2
Regular Session, 2014 ENROLLED
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 62
BY SENATOR BROOME
A RESOLUTION
To recognize April 13-19, 2014, as National Minority Cancer Awareness Week and to
commend Mary Bird Perkins - Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Center on holding "Fest
for Life".
WHEREAS, the third week of April, namely April 13-19, 2014, is recognized as
National Minority Cancer Awareness Week; and
WHEREAS, the Mary Bird Perkins - Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Center will hold
"Fest for Life", a minority cancer awareness event, on April 12, 2014, in recognition of
National Minority Cancer Awareness Week; and
WHEREAS, "Fest for Life" serves as a forum to increase awareness regarding the
importance of early cancer detection among racial/ethnic minority groups and provides five
types of free cancer screenings; and
WHEREAS, cancer is common in Americans of all racial and ethnic groups;
however, the cancer rates vary considerably from group to group; and
WHEREAS, African Americans have the highest death rate and shortest survival rate
of any racial and ethnic group in the United States of America for most cancers; and
WHEREAS, cancer is the second leading cause of death among Hispanic adults
following heart disease; and
WHEREAS, Asian Americans have the highest incidence and mortality rates from
liver and stomach cancers of all racial and ethnic groups in both men and women; and
WHEREAS, these disparities are due largely to barriers to receiving timely and high
quality medical care by minority populations resulting in later stage diagnosis when the
disease is more difficult to treat; and
WHEREAS, Mary Bird Perkins - Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Center, along with
the many dedicated community partners, has screened more than 55,000 persons at more
than 1,700 free cancer screening events in an eighteen parish service area since 2002; and SR NO. 62 ENROLLED
Page 2 of 2
WHEREAS, in the six year history of this Minority Cancer Awareness Event, more
than 3,000 persons have been screened for breast, colorectal, oral, prostate, and skin cancer;
and
WHEREAS, in 2013 minorities represented more than eighty percent of the persons
screened for cancer at "Fest for Life".
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
does hereby recognize April 13-19, 2014, as National Minority Cancer Awareness Week.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Mary Bird Perkins - Our Lady of the Lake
Cancer Center is hereby commended for holding "Fest for Life".
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE