National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, 2016

Proclamation 9485 of September 1, 2016

National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, 2016

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Prostate cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-
related death in American men, and too many men and
their families feel the pain and grief it brings. As a
country, we must do everything in our power to support
men who are battling prostate cancer, deliver the care
and treatment they need, and defeat this devastating
disease. A cancer-free future is within our grasp--with
bold vision and daring optimism, we are pioneering
medical breakthroughs in research and seeking to
discover a cure for cancer in our time. During National
Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, we remember all the
men who lost their lives to this disease, and resolve
to reach a tomorrow where prostate cancer is no longer
a threat to our sons and grandsons.

In 2016, approximately 180,000 men will be diagnosed,
and 26,000 men will lose their battle with prostate
cancer. Incredible advancements have paved the way for
better prevention, detection, and treatment of this
disease, and over the past two decades, the incidence
of new cases and mortality rates for prostate cancer
have been steadily declining. Men who are African
American, over the age of 65, or have a family history
of prostate cancer are at higher risk and should be
aware of risk factors and symptoms. I encourage all men
to talk to their health care providers about how
prostate cancer can affect them, and to learn more by
visiting www.Cancer.gov/Prostate or www.CDC.gov/Cancer/Prostate Prostate.

The Affordable Care Act has ensured that more Americans
have access to quality, affordable health insurance,
and it prohibits insurance companies from denying
coverage to someone simply because they have prostate
cancer. The Act eliminates annual and lifetime limits
on coverage and ensures individuals have the option to
participate in clinical trials, which have proven
helpful in advancing research of new treatment
strategies and improving clinical care for men with
prostate cancer.

This year, I asked Vice President Joe Biden to lead our
Nation in a new effort to end cancer as we know it. The
White House Cancer Moonshot Task Force is striving to
make a decade of advances in cancer prevention,
treatment, and care in just 5 years through the
collaboration of Federal agencies, jumpstarted by a
proposed nearly $1 billion investment. Additionally,
the Department of Veterans Affairs is helping to
introduce a series of pilot programs that will
accelerate clinical research and care for veterans with
prostate cancer using cutting-edge biotechnologies--
they are also working to increase precision oncology
research and strengthen personalized medicine for the
treatment of prostate cancer among veterans. These
efforts build on the goals of our Precision Medicine
Initiative, which aims to deliver personalized care and
apply medicine more efficiently and effectively based
on genetics--and ultimately, to bring us closer to
curing diseases like cancer.

This month, let us thank the countless researchers,
medical professionals, and advocates who dedicate
themselves to supporting survivors and beating cancer.
Let us continue raising awareness of prostate cancer
and renew our commitment to finding a cure once and for
all.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the
United States, do hereby proclaim September 2016 as
National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. I encourage
all citizens, government agencies, private businesses,
non-profit organizations, and other groups to join in
activities that will increase awareness and prevention
of prostate cancer.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
first day of September, in the year of our Lord two
thousand sixteen, and of the Independence of the United
States of America the two hundred and forty-first.