GOVERNOR TOM CORBETT SIGNS PA BREAST CANCER COALITION’S BREAST DENSITY NOTIFICATION ACT TO KNOCK OUT BREAST CANCER IN PA
First Lady Susan Corbett joins in support of life-saving law that recognizes need for dense breast tissue notification and turns awareness into action
HARRISBURG, Pa. – Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett today signed the PA Breast Cancer Coalition’s life-saving legislation for women and families across the Commonwealth. The Breast Density Notification Act, sponsored by Sen. Robert Mensch (R-24), requires mammography facilities in Pennsylvania to notify women of their breast density. Joined by First Lady Susan Corbett, survivors and lawmakers, Governor Corbett signed the legislation into law in recognition of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Dense breast tissue increases a woman’s risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer at a later, more dangerous, less treatable stage. Many women with dense breast tissue do not know they have it, and a mammogram may not be enough to detect a lump or irregularity in the breast. The Breast Density Notification Act will change that. Now, mammography facilities will be required to alert their patients who have dense breast tissue and possibly offer information on additional screening options.
“This is an historic moment for breast cancer survivors in Pennsylvania and the PA Breast Cancer Coalition. This legislation will save lives,” said PA Breast Cancer Coalition President and Founder Pat Halpin-Murphy. “I want to thank Governor and Mrs. Corbett for recognizing the importance of the Breast Density Notification Act on the lives of women and families in our state. We applaud Governor Corbett for assisting in the battle to knock out breast cancer with enactment of this critical new law.”
Each day, 32 women in Pennsylvania are diagnosed with breast cancer. Each year, more than 2,000 of those women will lose their lives to the disease. The PA Breast Cancer Coalition’s mission is to help find a cure for breast cancer and to improve the quality of breast cancer education, research, programming and outreach in the state. The Breast Density Notification Act assures that every woman who receives a mammogram is informed of her breast density along with possible additional screening options available.
"I am proud to sign this bill today to help improve breast cancer detection and ensure our daughters, our mothers, our wives, our sisters and our friends have earlier access to lifesaving care," said Governor Tom Corbett. "I want to thank Senator Mensch, Representative Boback, the PBCC and all the legislators, survivors and families from across Pennsylvania for their dedication to this issue and their choice to take action and save lives."
“As we know, receiving an early diagnosis for breast cancer is critical for survival,” said First Lady Susan Corbett. “Now more women across Pennsylvania will have access to important information that will increase their chances of fighting this devastating disease.”
Pennsylvania survivor Cindy Spinello was diagnosed last year with advanced breast cancer. Her cancer could have been detected earlier, but her dense breast tissue masked the cancer on her mammograms. Cindy has been working hand-in-hand with the PA Breast Cancer Coalition on the Breast Density Notification Act. “My husband and I wanted women to be informed and educated,” said Spinello. “It is our hope that the Breast Density Notification Act will prevent other women from my personal tragedy of a late-stage breast cancer diagnosis. Early detection saves lives.”
Natalie Kopp
Communications Director
717-769-2302
Natalie@PABreastCancer.org
The PA Breast Cancer Coalition, celebrating its 20th Anniversary in 2013, represents supports and serves breast cancer survivors and their families in Pennsylvania through educational programming, legislative advocacy and breast cancer research grants. The PBCC is a statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to finding a cure now…so our daughters won’t have to. For more information, please call 800-377-8828 or visit www.PABreastCancer.org.
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