Whereas, Regular screening through the use of Pap tests is the key to preventing deaths from cervical cancer; and,

Whereas, Women under age 40 may obtain Pap testing through their health care provider, at family planning clinics available through local health departments, or at Planned Parenthood of Michigan affiliates located around the state; and,

Whereas, Michigan public health agencies, health care providers and hospitals statewide who work with the Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Program cooperated to offer cervical cancer screening and follow up services for low-income women age 40-64, and as a result, have screened more than 86,000 women, and have diagnosed and treated more than 1,249 women with cervical cancer and pre-cancerous conditions since 1991, while also offering all women a resource for information and referral through the Michigan Health Promotion Hotline at 1-800-922-6266; and,

Whereas, In FY 2003, five Michigan counties with higher-than-average death rates for cervical cancer – Berrien, Cheboygan, Gratiot, Luce and Sanilac – have made special efforts to identify, educate, and screen women who have rarely or never been screened for cervical cancer; and,

Whereas, In FY 2003, consensus guidelines for cervical cancer screening and follow up were developed by 26 primary health care experts who met to discuss these issues, and the Consensus Early Detection Guidelines were reviewed and approved by the Michigan Cancer Consortium Board of Directors to be promoted to all primary care providers; and now therefore be it,

Resolved, That I, Jennifer M. Granholm, Governor of the State of Michigan, do hereby proclaim January 2004 as Cervical Cancer Awareness Month in Michigan, and I urge all citizens to encourage and assist the women they care about to seek regular screening for cancer of the cervix.