SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Continuing his push to ensure women have the support they need to stay healthy, state Rep. Mike Smiddy, D-Hillsdale, is supporting legislation to recognize the week of September 11-17 as Ovarian Cyst Awareness Week.
"Science has shown that early detection is the key to beating ovarian cancer, and my goal is that this resolution will help raise awareness of the importance of preventative testing," Smiddy said. "With so many women diagnosed each year with ovarian cancer, it's important that everyone get behind this campaign to raise awareness, and ensure women have the support they need to get tested."
More than 20,000 women in the United States are diagnosed with ovarian cancer every year. The survival rate for those detecting this disease in its early stages is approximately 95%, but this number drops to 15% if caught later. The disease kills around 15,000 women annually. Despite the dramatic prognosis improvements when detected early, up to 77% of all cases aren't detected until later stages. Smiddy is cosponsoring House Resolution 993 to urge women to get the lifesaving testing they need.
Smiddy has voted numerous times over the past 11 months to ensure women who need help paying for cervical cancer testing get the support they need. Smiddy's support of this measure builds upon his previous work to support women's health. Last session, Smiddy passed legislation into law requiring all insurance plans in Illinois to cover preventative mammograms in the fight against breast cancer.
"The fact that the support for testing programs in Illinois were reduced due to the budget impasse is completely unacceptable," Smiddy said. "A woman's ability to look after her health shouldn't have anything to do with her financial situation, and we can't allow politics to disrupt the testing that we know saves lives. I'll continue to fight for testing resources for these important programs and do everything I can to raise awareness for the importance of getting tested."
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