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SENATE RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, Over 42,000 people will be diagnosed with 
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pancreatic cancer this year in the United States and over 
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35,000 will die from the disease; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Pancreatic cancer is the deadliest cancer and the 
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fourth leading cause of cancer death in the United States; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Approximately 1,600 deaths will occur in 
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Illinois;

and

 
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    WHEREAS, 76 percent of pancreatic cancer patients die 
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within the first year of their diagnosis and 95 percent of 
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pancreatic cancer patients die within the first five years; and

 
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    WHEREAS, There is no cure for pancreatic cancer and there 
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have been no significant improvements in early detection, 
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treatment methods, or survival rates in the last 30 years; and

 
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    WHEREAS, When symptoms of pancreatic cancer present 
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themselves, it is usually too late for an optimistic prognosis, 
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and the average life expectancy of those diagnosed with 
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metastasis disease is only three to six months;

and
 
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    WHEREAS, Incidents of pancreatic cancer are approximately 
 


 






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50 percent higher in African-Americans than in other ethnic 
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groups;

and
 
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    WHEREAS, The federal government invests less money in 
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pancreatic cancer research than it does in any of the other 
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leading cancer killers;

and
 
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    WHEREAS, The good health and well-being of the residents of 
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Illinois are enhanced as a direct result of increased awareness 
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about pancreatic cancer and research into early detection, 
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causes, and effective treatments;

and
 
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    WHEREAS, The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network is the first 
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and only national patient advocacy organization that serves the 
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pancreatic cancer community in Illinois and nationwide by 
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focusing its efforts on public policy, research funding, 
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patient services, and public awareness and education related to 
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developing effective treatments and a cure for pancreatic 
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cancer;

and
 
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    WHEREAS, The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network and its 
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affiliates in Illinois support those patients currently 
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battling pancreatic cancer, as well as to those who have lost 
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their lives to the disease, and are committed to nothing less 
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than a cure; therefore, be it

 
 


 






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    RESOLVED, BY THE  SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL 
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ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that the Illinois Senate 
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designate the month of November, 2009 "Pancreatic Cancer 
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Awareness Month" in the State of Illinois.