Congressional reception raises awareness about breast cancer in young adult women

Sep 29 2009

Testing for breast cancer risk was the subject of remarks by two featured speakers at a recent congressional reception on Capitol Hill. The event generated momentum to pass the EARLY Act and raise awareness about breast cancer in young adult women.

Kathryn Tunstall, former Chairman of the Board and currently Chair of the Clinical Advisory Panel of NeoMatrix®, told the audience that her experience as a two-time breast cancer survivor had inspired her to take a leadership role at NeoMatrix. The company provides the HALO® Breast Pap Test, a new, 5-minute, noninvasive test that helps determine an individual woman's risk of developing breast cancer.

As part of its support for the EARLY Act, NeoMatrix has launched a website, www.earlyactawareness.org, that educates viewers about the EARLY Act and breast cancer risk. The site provides details on the EARLY Act and the breast cancer risks faced by younger women. It also has tools for breast cancer risk assessment and prevention, including information about HALO.

“I was able to survive and thrive after breast cancer, thanks to excellent care and advances in detection and treatment,” Tunstall said. “If young women know their breast cancer risk and demand proper screening, this will ultimately change the equation of breast cancer. We can reduce the terrible toll this disease takes on women and families.”

The EARLY Act would implement a national education campaign about the risks that young adult women (under 45) face from breast cancer. The bill, with $9 million per year in proposed funding for five years, would also provide assistance to young women who have the disease.

The legislation has generated widespread support both in Congress and from national organizations, including the Susan G. Komen Foundation and Breast Cancer Network of Strength (formerly Y-Me). The legislation has over 365 cosponsors in the House of Representatives and over 30 in the Senate.

Also speaking at the Congressional Reception, which was organized by the nonprofit Tigerlily Foundation and cosponsored by NeoMatrix, was Gail Lebovic, M.D., president of the American Society of Breast Disease.

“I can’t imagine why anyone would be against this legislation,” said Dr. Lebovic. “During my time as a breast surgeon, we have seen advances in breast cancer risk assessment such as HALO, in detection through digital mammography, and in the development of much better surgical treatments and breast reconstruction. The EARLY Act would make many more women aware of these advances and how they can benefit from them.”

The Capitol Hill event, which drew approximately 200 people, was held in the Rayburn building of the House of Representatives immediately before Pres. Obama’s speech to the Congress on healthcare reform. Among other speakers at the Tigerlily event were Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D.-Fla.), author of the legislation; Rep. Sue Myrick (R.-N.C.) and Rep. Jackie Speier (D.-Calif.).

Nationally, about 35,000 new breast cancer cases are diagnosed in women under age 50 – more than the total number of cervical and ovarian cancers combined. Breast cancer is not just a disease of older women: It is the leading cause of death in American women ages 15-54.

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