Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

WHEREAS, colorectal cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second most common cause of cancer deaths for men and women in the United States; and

WHEREAS, colorectal cancer affects men and women equally; and

WHEREAS, every three minutes someone is diagnosed with colorectal cancer and every 10 minutes someone dies from colorectal cancer; and

WHEREAS, the vast majority of colon cancer deaths can be prevented through proper screening and early detection; and

WHEREAS, the survival rate of individuals who have colorectal cancer is 90 percent when detected in the early stages versus only a 10 percent survival rate when colorectal cancer is diagnosed after it has spread to other organs; and

WHEREAS, only 39 percent of colorectal cancer patients have their cancers detected at an early stage; and

WHEREAS, if the majority of people in the United States age 50 or older were screened regularly for colorectal cancer, the death rate from this disease could plummet by up to 70 percent; and

WHEREAS, greater awareness of this cancer and the means to prevent it could save the lives of hundreds of people in the state of Alabama each year; and

WHEREAS, observing Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month during the month of March provides a special opportunity to offer education on the importance of early detection and screening:

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Robert Bentley, Governor of Alabama, do hereby proclaim March 2015, as

Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

in the state of Alabama.