Rep. Velazquez’s bill would expand treatment access for gynecological cancers

She introduced the Ovarian, Cervical and Endometrial Cancer Awareness Act, which she says will help create better access to finding and treating those types of cancers in women.

Dan Serafin and News 12 Staff

Oct 10, 2023, 4:53 PM

Updated 290 days ago

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A bill introduced by Rep. Nydia Velazquez is aiming to raise awareness and give more access to treatment to women battling certain gynecological cancers.
She introduced the Ovarian, Cervical and Endometrial Cancer Awareness Act, which she says will help create better access to finding and treating those types of cancers in women.
Velazquez says statistics show Black women have an 80% higher mortality rate when diagnosed with endometrial cancer than white women. In 2018, Hispanic women had the highest endometrial cancer rate among women aged 35-39 years old.
Velazquez adds she wants more people to be aware of these cancers and more women to get screened along with equal access to treatment.
"We have to devote the resources and the intention when it comes to this kind of public policy," she says. "That has to come from the top, down."
Velazquez has long been an advocate for the testing and treatment of cancer proposing bills similar to this one throughout her political career.


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