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You probably know the scary statistic – one in every eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. What you may not know, however, is that while doctors often don’t start mammograms for women before the age of 40, young women do get breast cancer, and when they do it’s often more aggressive and less responsive to hormone therapies.

Did you know that black women are 40% more likely to die of breast cancer than are white women in the U.S.? According to webmd.com, this year, nearly 200,000 U.S. women will be told they have breast cancer, the ACS estimates, and more than 40,000 women will die of the disease. After skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer among U.S. women.

According to the Susan G. Komen Organization, when breast cancer is detected early, the five-year survival rate is 98 percent. But because many younger women are diagnosed at later stages with more aggressive breast cancer, their survival rate is lower. With increased awareness for genetic counseling and testing, early detection and treatment, the odds can be improved. Providing that early diagnosis and treatment to women is the goal of a bill recently introduced in Congress, and this is where we need your help.

The Breast Cancer Education and Awareness Requires Learning Young (EARLY) Act of 2009 was introduced by Representatives Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), a breast cancer survivor who was diagnosed with breast cancer at 37, and Sue Myrick (R-NC).

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The EARLY Act will increase awareness about breast cancer and young women in three key ways:

Public education. The bill will provide funding for an aggressive public education and media campaign targeting young women, with an emphasis on women under age 40 who are at higher risk due to their race, ethnicity or genetic heritage.

Resources for health professionals. Through additional training, health care professionals will be more aware of the risk factors, the opportunities for genetic counseling and testing, and the unique challenges that face young women diagnosed with breast cancer.

Support services. Younger women face additional strains including an increased impact on their dating lives, careers and ability to have children. This bill will address these concerns by providing grants for support services for young women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer.

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