Nancy Pelosi Pledges Support for Breast Cancer Research

In recognition of the month of October as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi released a statement Tuesday pledging her support for future research and tracking of the disease.

"National Breast Cancer Awareness Month is a time to remember loved ones lost and to recommit ourselves to advancing prevention, improving treatments, and funding research that can save women's lives and, one day, defeat this devastating disease," the statement said. "I also strongly support the nationwide health tracking system to collect, analyze and report data on the rate of diseases such as breast cancer, and the presence of relevant environmental factors and exposures."

While today the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM) program boasts a board of sponsors comprised of 19 national public service organizations, government agencies and medical associations, the program had humble beginnings. Initially launched in 1985, NBCAM began as an awareness campaign that lasted for one week with a board of sponsors comprised of two members - the American Academy of Family Physicians and CancerCare, Inc.

Despite the initial modest membership, the NBCAM program was driven and dedicated. In order to publicize the advantages of easy access to mammography, members of the program testified before a United States Congressional committee, spoke to media outlets, and distributed pamphlets and brochures.

"Breast cancer survivors today owe a debt of gratitude to the advocates and survivors who came before," said Pelosi in the statement. "They did a great service by successfully making the case for substantial investments in breast cancer research."