With more than 21,000 women in the U.S. diagnosed with ovarian cancer annually, U.S. Reps. Sean Duffy (R-WI) and Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) launched the Congressional Ovarian Cancer Caucus this week to bring awareness and research dollars to the disease.
The issue is particularly meaningful to both lawmakers, with DeLauro herself having battled the disease that takes the live of more than 14,000 women each year and Duffy’s sister also facing it down.
“I witnessed the fear my sister felt when the doctor told her she had ovarian cancer,” Duffy said. “She fought this horrible disease and eventually won, but for far too many, this diagnosis does not end in remission. This Caucus gives us an opportunity to give this cause a unified voice in Congress.”
There is no early detection test for ovarian cancer, and the symptoms are often confused with other diseases, leaving 85 percent of women diagnosed in a late stage. More than 50 percent of women with ovarian cancer won’t live five years once diagnosed, and 1 in 4 women will die within a year of her diagnosis.
“As a survivor of ovarian cancer, whose life was saved by early detection, I know how important it is to raise awareness about this terrible disease,” DeLauro added. “I was one of the lucky ones, but no one should have to rely on luck to survive. I am proud to join Congressman Duffy in launching the Congressional Ovarian Cancer Caucus to help raise public awareness about the disease and promote research, as well as early detection and prevention efforts. This will save the lives of women across the country.”