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This measure would proclaim the month of May 2016 as Bladder Cancer Awareness Month.

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WHEREAS, Five hundred thousand families in the United States live with bladder cancer; and

WHEREAS, More than 74,000 people in the United States are expected to be diagnosed with bladder cancer and 16,000 will die due to the disease in 2016 alone; and

WHEREAS, Approximately 7,150 people will be newly diagnosed with bladder cancer in California this year and more than 1,500 Californians are expected to die of the disease; and

WHEREAS, Bladder cancer affects adults of all ages and backgrounds and is the fifth most common nonskin cancer in the United States, exceeded only by breast, lung, prostate, and colon cancers, yet knowledge of the frequency and severity of bladder cancer is minimal; and

WHEREAS, Bladder cancer is known as one of the most expensive cancers to treat on a per patient basis and has a recurrence rate of approximately 50 to 80 percent, requiring lifelong surveillance; and

WHEREAS, Bladder cancer symptoms, such as blood in the urine, are easily recognized, but many people are unaware of the threat of bladder cancer, often prolonging the time to diagnosis; and

WHEREAS, If diagnosed early, bladder cancer is treatable; and

WHEREAS, Military veterans are twice as likely as nonveterans to be diagnosed with bladder cancer; and

WHEREAS, Women are often diagnosed at a later stage in the development of bladder cancer, and when diagnosed at the same stage as men, women have a worse prognosis; and

WHEREAS, Smoking is the most well-established risk factor for bladder cancer, with the incidence of the disease three to four times greater in smokers than in nonsmokers; and

WHEREAS, If diagnosis and treatment are delayed, the life expectancy of an individual with bladder cancer decreases; and

WHEREAS, The quality of life of a person with bladder cancer will depend on future treatment and diagnostic developments, which will rely on research advancements; and

WHEREAS, There have been no new treatments approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration for bladder cancer in over 10 years; and

WHEREAS, Research advancements for bladder cancer are limited by lack of awareness about the disease within the medical community and general public; and

WHEREAS, Increased awareness will promote early diagnosis and increase the chances of survival; and

WHEREAS, Increased awareness will bolster public support of treatment of the disease and thus increase funding for innovative research and the development of new treatment options and diagnostic tools; and

WHEREAS, Traditionally, in May of each year, survivors, caregivers, and loved ones walk together throughout the United States to raise awareness of bladder cancer; and

WHEREAS, The Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network and its community of patients, caregivers, and specialists seek to foster a community of hope and support, to fund and conduct research for innovative treatments and diagnostic tools, and to increase public awareness and understanding of bladder cancer; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate thereof concurring, That the Legislature hereby proclaims the month of May 2016 as Bladder Cancer Awareness Month; and be it further

Resolved, That the Legislature calls upon the people of California, interested groups, and affected persons to promote awareness of bladder cancer and to foster understanding of the impact of the disease on patients and their families and caregivers, to take an active role in the fight to end bladder cancer, and to observe Bladder Cancer Awareness Month with appropriate ceremonies and activities; and be it further

Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.