Mayor Ginny Dickey has issued a proclamation declaring October Breast Cancer Awareness Month in Fountain Hills.

This is a worldwide annual campaign during October involving thousands of organizations to highlight the importance of breast cancer awareness, education and research.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, breast cancer is the most common cancer among women, where one in eight women in the U.S. will be diagnosed in her lifetime on average. An estimated 325,000 new cases will be diagnosed this year and 42,170 women will die.

Although rare, an estimated 2,620 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year and approximately 520 will die.

There are more than 3.5 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S. Increasing the public’s knowledge about the importance of early detection and regular screening mammograms, followed by timely treatment upon diagnosis can significantly improve a patient’s chance of survival.

Breast Cancer Awareness month is an opportunity to unite all citizens in the community to prevent deaths and recognize survivors, those currently battling the disease, friends and families of a diagnosed patient and applaud the efforts of medical professionals and researchers working to find a cure.