Act Now: Urge Congress To Support the "Early Act" for Young Women!

Yesterday, US Congresswoman (and DNC Vice Chair) Debbie Wasserman-Schultz for the first time spoke of her year long struggle with breast cancer. Since December of 2007, after discovering the lump, the Congresswoman underwent seven major surgeries. These procedures removed her ovaries and gave her a double mastectomy. She kept the illness private while campaigning for reelection and stumping nationwide for presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, then Barack Obama.

Now, she is using her platform to step up to advocate for fellow younger women between the ages of 18-40. The EARLY Act, aka the Breast Cancer Education and Awareness Requires Learning Young Act, would direct the Department of Health and Human Services to begin educational campaigns in high schools and universities, provide additional research and support for breast cancer diagnosis in younger women, and give grants to health institutions providing support and care to younger women with breast cancer.

-In 2008, the American Cancer Society projected 182,460 new cases of breast cancer in females--it was estimated that 10,000 of these women would be under 40 years of age.

-Although the incidence of young women with breast cancer is much lower than in older women, young women's breast cancers are generally more aggressive and result in lower survival rates.

Voice Your Support Today! Sign the Online Petition Supporting Young Women's Health here: http://action.yda.org/c/1459/t/497/petition.jsp?petition_KEY=487


**An action Alert from Atima Omara-Alwala, National Chair, Women's Caucus, Young Democrats of America**