Sente Directs Community Attention to Breast Cancer Awareness Month

VERNON HILLS, Ill. – State Rep. Carol Sente, D-Vernon Hills, is encouraging the community to join her in spreading the word about potentially life-saving state services in observance of Breast Cancer Awareness Month this October.

“We do not have to look far among our families and friends to find someone who has won or tragically lost the battle with cancer during their lifetime,” Sente said. “With modern medicine, many forms of cancer are treatable when detected early. I am hopeful that this October we as a community can work together to spread the word about efforts to expand access to potentially life-saving cancer screenings.”

To ensure cancer screenings are readily available, Sente worked to preserve much needed state funding for the Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Program (IBCCP) in the Fiscal Year 2014 state budget. The IBCCP provides free mammograms to women ages 40 to 64 who are uninsured and have income below 250 percent of the federal poverty level. From 2006 through 2010, Illinois’ program detected 678 invasive breast cancers and 1314 cervical cancers and precancerous lesions. Women are encouraged to call the program hotline at (888) 522-1282 or visit the website at http://www.idph.state.il.us/about/womenshealth/ibccp/howToApply.htm to find out if they qualify for this free service.

“The American Cancer Society has played a role in nearly every major breast cancer research breakthrough in recent history and we encourage all women to take steps every day to stay well from breast cancer by maintaining a healthy weight, getting regular exercise, and limiting alcohol intake,” said Heather Eagleton, Illinois Director of Public Policy and Government Relations for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network. “Thanks in part to the progress we’re making together, death rates from breast cancer have dropped by 33 percent since the early 1990s. This translates to 184,000 lives saved that would’ve otherwise been lost to breast cancer.”

For more information, please contact Sente’s full-time constituent service office at
(847) 478-9909 or email at RepSente@gmail.com.