HR326

WHEREAS, breast cancer will strike one out of eight women during their lifetime, making it the most common cancer among women and the second leading cause of female cancer deaths; and

WHEREAS, this year alone, over one hundred eighty thousand new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women and about forty thousand women are expected to die from breast cancer; and

WHEREAS, native Hawaiian women have the highest death rate from breast cancer among all groups in the United States, and late stage diagnosis is common among Filipino and native Hawaiian women; and

WHEREAS, although breast cancer is less common in Asian American and Pacific Islander women than in white or African American women, the incidence of Asian American and Pacific Islander women being diagnosed with breast cancer has been steadily increasing; and

WHEREAS, when breast cancer is detected in the early stages and treated immediately, patients have a ninety-five per cent recovery rate; and

WHEREAS, education is the most important way to raise awareness, encourage mammograms, and prevent the suffering of future victims of breast cancer; and

WHEREAS, the Iwalani Foundation, founded by Iwalani Tseu, has passionately embraced the challenge of educating the women of Hawaii, especially those of Native Hawaiian ancestry, about the risks and realities of breast cancer; and

WHEREAS, the staff of Kapiolani Women's Center, who have cared for Hawaii's women for over one hundred years, have joined On Board For A Cure to educate our entire community on the critical need for breast cancer prevention; and

WHEREAS, On Board For A Cure is making waves of awareness with its education campaign to prevent, detect, and one day, cure breast cancer, with its sixty-minute television special featuring the stories of survival, healing, and hope from Hawaii breast cancer survivors set to premiere on April 20, 2008; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-fourth Legislature of the State of Hawaii that this body recognizes and honors the courage of breast cancer survivors and offers its deepest thanks and gratitude to Kapiolani Women's Center, On Board For A Cure, and the Iwalani Foundation for their dedication and hard work toward preventing the tragedy of breast cancer and saving the lives of our beloved mothers, daughters, and sisters.

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:

Kapiolani Women's Center; Iwalani Foundation; Breast Cancer

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.R. NO.	326
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2008
STATE OF HAWAII