WHEREAS, Breast Cancer Awareness Month aims to promote screening and prevention of the disease and although deaths have declined, 30 percent of women in Nevada age 40 and older are behind on regular breast cancer screenings; and

WHEREAS, disparities in breast cancer incidence and death rates by race and ethnicity persist; and while white women are more likely to get breast cancer, Black women are more likely to die from breast cancer than any other racial or ethnic group because it is often diagnosed at later stages and is more aggressive in Black women than any other racial or ethnic group; and

WHEREAS, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Nevada, outside of skin cancers, but thanks to early detection and improved treatments, the five-year relative survival rate for breast cancer is 91 percent; and

WHEREAS, access to medical care, regular visits to a health care provider, health insurance, and receiving reminders are all factors that improve breast cancer screening rates and help Nevadans find cancers early when it is easier to treat; and

WHEREAS, no one should face breast cancer alone; and encouragement from a family member, friend, or loved one has been identified as a leading motivator for Nevadans to get screened for breast cancer; and

WHEREAS, having a family history of breast cancer increases the risk, 80 to 85 percent of breast cancers occur in people who have no known family history of the disease; and

WHEREAS, agencies and individuals across Nevada are working together to improve policies, systems, and environmental changes to help prevent breast cancer, detect it earlier, and access adequate treatment and support at all stages of the disease throughout the state; and

WHEREAS, annually October is a time to promote awareness, encourage education, support those diagnosed with breast cancer and remember those lost to this disease;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOE LOMBARDO, GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, do hereby proclaim the month of October 2023 as

BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH IN NEVADA