HR 156 — A Resolution designating the month of May 2025 as "Melanoma Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania.

PRINTER'S NO.   1185

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



           HOUSE RESOLUTION
              No. 156
                                                Session of
                                                  2025

     INTRODUCED BY HANBIDGE, HOWARD, HADDOCK, PROBST, McNEILL,
        T. DAVIS, VENKAT, MAYES, SANCHEZ, KHAN, HILL-EVANS, MADDEN,
        D. WILLIAMS, BELLMON, NEILSON, HOHENSTEIN, OTTEN, O'MARA,
        DEASY, CERRATO, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, RIVERA, STEELE AND K.HARRIS,
        MARCH 31, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, MARCH 31, 2025


                                 A RESOLUTION
 1   Designating the month of May 2025 as "Melanoma Awareness Month"
 2      in Pennsylvania.
 3      WHEREAS, Each year, May is observed as "Melanoma and Skin
 4   Cancer Awareness Month" by groups like the American Academy of
 5   Dermatology; and
 6      WHEREAS, This month serves to bring attention to skin cancer
 7   as the most common form of cancer in the United States; and
 8      WHEREAS, Each day, approximately 9,500 people in the United
 9   States are diagnosed with skin cancer; and
10      WHEREAS, Cases of skin cancer can be broken down into three
11   categories: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and
12   melanoma; and
13      WHEREAS, Basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma are
14   the most common forms of skin cancer, but melanoma is the most
15   dangerous form of the disease; and
16      WHEREAS, According to the American Cancer Society,
 1   approximately 104,960 cases of melanoma are expected to be
 2   diagnosed in the United States in 2025 and approximately 8,430
 3   are expected to die from the condition this year in the United
 4   States; and
 5         WHEREAS, Melanoma is most frequently caused by overexposure
 6   to ultraviolet light, typically from the sun or tanning beds,
 7   though the exact cause of the disease has not been determined;
 8   and
 9         WHEREAS, Melanoma is formed in the melanocytes, the cells of
10   the skin that create melanin and provide the skin's color; and
11         WHEREAS, The most frequent symptoms of melanoma are atypical
12   moles, including those that are abnormally shaped or have
13   changes in color or size, and abnormal looking growths on the
14   skin, known as melanomas; and
15         WHEREAS, These melanomas typically form in areas with
16   frequent sun exposure such as the arms, legs or back, though
17   sometimes they can appear in different areas like in the eye,
18   under fingernails or underneath an individual's skin; and
19         WHEREAS, Individuals with fair skin are at higher risk of
20   being diagnosed with melanoma, with one in 33 white people
21   expected to be diagnosed in their lifetimes; and
22         WHEREAS, Melanoma can be diagnosed through a physical
23   examination or by removing a piece of tissue and conducting a
24   biopsy on the affected area; and
25         WHEREAS, Later stage melanoma can appear thicker and may
26   spread to different parts of the body such as lymph nodes,
27   making melanoma more survivable if it is caught earlier; and
28         WHEREAS, Some cases of melanoma can be treated through one-
29   time surgery to remove the cancer, though if the melanoma has
30   spread to other areas it may require further treatments like

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 1   radiation, immunotherapy and chemotherapy; and
 2      WHEREAS, The survival rates of melanoma vary greatly
 3   depending on the degree of the cancer's spread; and
 4      WHEREAS, For cases in which the cancer has not spread to any
 5   other parts of the body, known as localized cases, the survival
 6   rate is currently in excess of 99%; and
 7      WHEREAS, Conversely, cases in which the cancer has spread to
 8   local areas of the body, known as regional cases, have a
 9   survival rate of 75%, while cases with greater spread, known as
10   distant cases, have a survival rate of 35%; and
11      WHEREAS, Accordingly, it is important for individuals to
12   regularly be checked for cases of skin cancer; and
13      WHEREAS, To prevent melanoma and other skin cancers, it is
14   important to take precautions when exposed to direct sunlight
15   such as wearing sunscreen and protective clothing; and
16      WHEREAS, The American Academy of Dermatology uses "Skin
17   Cancer Awareness Month" as an opportunity to raise awareness of
18   the dangers of skin cancers like melanoma and the measures that
19   can be taken to prevent them; and
20      WHEREAS, Further, increased awareness helps provide funding
21   for research and educational campaigns to help combat the
22   disease and inform the public about its effects; therefore be it
23      RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate the
24   month of May 2025 as "Melanoma Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania.




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