| R 277 |
| 2023 -- S 0951 Enacted 05/02/2023 |
| S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N |
| COMMEMORATING MAY OF 2023, AS "NATIONAL SKIN CANCER AWARENESS MONTH" IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND |
Introduced By: Senator Joshua Miller |
| Date Introduced: April 27, 2023 |
| WHEREAS, Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States and worldwide, |
| with 5.4 million cases being diagnosed in the United States annually, which represents more than |
| 9,500 every day, and sadly, more than two people die of the disease every hour; and |
| WHEREAS, More people are diagnosed with skin cancer each year in the United States |
| than all other cancers combined. At least one in five Americans will develop skin cancer by the |
| age of 70. Actinic Keratosis is the most common pre-cancer, affecting more than 58 million |
| Americans. The annual cost of treating skin cancers in the United States is estimated at eight |
| billion dollars; and |
| WHEREAS, Skin cancer is one of the most preventable forms of cancer. Approximately |
| 90 percent of non-melanoma skin cancers and 86 percent of melanoma cases are associated with |
| exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun. Having five or more sunburns doubles your risk for |
| melanoma; and |
| WHEREAS, When detected early, the five-year survival rate for melanoma is 99 percent. |
| Advocacy, increased awareness, promoting ultraviolet light protection, and skin cancer screening |
| will result in a meaningful reduction in the burden of skin cancer; and |
| WHEREAS, Members of the Partnership to Reduce Cancer in Rhode Island, physicians |
| at Brown Dermatology, the Rhode Island Department of Health’s Comprehensive Cancer Control |
| Program, and Lifespan Community Health Institute are diligently working cooperatively to |
| accomplish statewide Skin Cancer Prevention; now, therefore be it |
| RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island hereby commemorates May |
| of 2023, as "National Skin Cancer Awareness Month" in the State of Rhode Island; and be it |
| further |
| RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to |
| transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the Partnership to Reduce Cancer in Rhode |
| Island, Brown Dermatology, the Rhode Island Department of Health’s Comprehensive Cancer |
| Control Program, and the Lifespan Community Health Institute. |
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| LC002834 |
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