Suffolk Legislator Jon Cooper (D-Huntington) has introduced legislation seeking to designate a week in May as "Prevention Is the Cure Week" in Suffolk to educate county residents on how to reduce the risk of getting breast cancer.
Cooper's legislation would designate the week of May 12 through May 18, 2002 as "Prevention Is the Cure Week." Every year thereafter, the week beginning with the second Sunday of May would be similarly designated. Doing so, Cooper believes, will raise public awareness about some basic steps that everyone can take to help prevent the deadly disease.
"When it comes to breast cancer, the emphasis tends to fall on how to cope with the disease once it has been diagnosed," Cooper said. "That's very important, but so is prevention. This legislation shifts some of the focus to identifying the causes of breast cancer, empowering women and men through awareness and education."
Cooper's bill cites five steps that can be taken to reduce the risk of getting breast cancer: supporting research into the environmental causes of breast cancer; avoiding exposure to pesticides and toxic cleaning products; storing food in glass, ceramic or safe plastic containers; avoiding synthetic hormones in dairy and meat products; and eating organically grown fruits and vegetables.
"Prevention Is the Cure is an educational campaign that emphasizes the power of the individual to reduce the risk of disease," said Karen Miller, founder and president of the Huntington Breast Cancer Action Coalition. "The heart of our mission is driven by the tenets of the precautionary principle, which direct us to avoid harm to the environment and public health. The innovative programs at HBCAC have always enjoyed the support of our county legislators. We are especially grateful to Legislator Jon Cooper for introducing the bill to create Prevention Is the Cure Week."
The bill was introduced at the Legislature's reorganization meeting in Hauppauge on January 2nd. The bill is now in committee and may be voted on as early as the Legislature's next meeting on January 29th.
