HOUSE RESOLUTION PROCLAIMING THE SECOND WEEK IN MAY 2026 TO BE LUNG CANCER ACTION WEEK IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, the official text

H8535 2026 -- H 8535 ======== LC006032 ======== STATE OF RHODE ISLAND IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026 ____________ H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N PROCLAIMING THE SECOND WEEK IN MAY 2026 TO BE LUNG CANCER ACTION WEEK IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND Introduced By: Representatives Azzinaro, Blazejewski, Chippendale, Kennedy, Phillips, Noret, Finkelman, Serpa, Fellela, and Santucci Date Introduced: May 12, 2026 Referred To: House read and passed 1 WHEREAS, The American Lung Association’s LUNG FORCE initiative has been 2 working since 2014 to ensure that fewer people are diagnosed with lung cancer and those living 3 with the disease live longer; and 4 WHEREAS, Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death in the United 5 States, accounting for more deaths than colon cancer, breast cancer, and prostate cancer 6 combined; and 7 WHEREAS, Lung cancer screening saves lives, and advocacy and increased awareness 8 will result in more high-risk individuals obtaining recommended screening; and 9 WHEREAS, One in 16 men and one in 17 women in the United States will develop lung 10 cancer during their lifetimes, and approximately 62 to 84 percent of high-risk adults are not 11 familiar with lung cancer screening and the low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) scan; and 12 WHEREAS, Each year, more women die from lung cancer than from breast cancer, 13 cervical cancer and ovarian cancer combined; and 14 WHEREAS, Approximately 10 to 20 percent of lung cancers are unrelated to smoking, 15 and the proportion of lung cancers diagnosed in individuals who have never smoked is increasing 16 in the United States. The 5-year survival rate for localized lung cancer is 61 to 65 percent, yet a 17 majority of lung cancers are diagnosed at a distant stage, for which the 5-year survival rate is 7 to 18 10 percent, and 19 WHEREAS, Screening with low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) can detect lung 1 cancer in its earliest stages and ultimately save lives, yet only 3 to 6 percent of high-risk 2 individuals in the United States undergo lung cancer screening; and 3 WHEREAS, Veterans are 25 percent more likely to develop lung cancer compared to the 4 general public, and although approximately 1,000,000 to 2,000,000 veterans have an elevated risk 5 of lung cancer and are eligible for screening, less than 3 percent of veterans receive appropriate 6 screening; and 7 WHEREAS, Black men have the highest incidence of lung cancer and the highest 8 mortality rate from lung cancer in the United States, and non-White individuals are 15 percent 9 less likely to be diagnosed early; and 10 WHEREAS, Lung cancer research is leading to breakthroughs in biomarker identification 11 and the development of immunotherapies and targeted therapies that are highly effective for some 12 cancer subtypes, yet accessing cutting-edge diagnostic testing can be difficult. Public support for 13 research funding will result in new treatments and better methods of early detection; and 14 WHEREAS, LUNG FORCE is a national initiative led by the American Lung 15 Association to defeat lung cancer; and 16 WHEREAS, Educational efforts can increase awareness of lung cancer and lung cancer 17 screening among the general public, patients and families, and health care professionals, thereby 18 increasing early detection of lung cancer; now, therefore be it 19 RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby 20 designates the second week in May 2026 as Lung Cancer Action Week throughout the state in 21 order to promote efforts to increase awareness of lung cancer education, research on mitigation of 22 risk factors, lung cancer screening, treatment, and issues affecting minorities and individuals who 23 have never smoked. This House also encourages the people of Rhode Island to observe Lung 24 Cancer Action Week with appropriate educational activities to learn more about lung cancer, its 25 risk factors, early detection, and the best ways to take preemptive action; and be it further 26 RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to 27 transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to the American Lung Association. ======== LC006032 ======== LC006032 - Page 2 of 2