GREENLEAF RESOLUTIONS APPROVED ON PROSTATE CANCER AND PARENTS 

HARRISBURG—Separate Senate resolutions offered by Sen. Stewart J. Greenleaf to declare Equal Parents' Week and Prostate Cancer Awareness Month were approved by the Senate.

Senate Resolution 290 will recognize the week of September 27 through October 3, 2004, as Equal Parents' Week to raise public awareness that children need the love and support of mothers and fathers, as well as extended families and stepfamilies.  The Children's Rights Council and Fathers' and Children's Equality are organizations that have teamed to support the resolution and the effort to provide children with the time and support of mothers and fathers.

Senate Resolution 291 will set September 2004 as Prostate Cancer Awareness Month in Pennsylvania.  Sen. Greenleaf noted that prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer diagnosed among men in the commonwealth and is the second leading cause of cancer death among them.  The resolution urges men to become educated about the risk of prostate cancer and the importance of screening and early detection.

Men over 50 years of age, African-American men, and men with a family history of prostate cancer are most at risk.  When detected early, the five-year survival rate for men with localized prostate cancer is 100 percent.