Press Releases

U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright re-introduced a resolution to designate the month of May as National Bladder Cancer Awareness Month.

Bladder cancer is the fifth most common cancer in the U.S.  According to the American Cancer Society, nearly 79,000 people will be diagnosed with bladder cancer and over 16,000 people will die from bladder cancer in 2017.

“Despite the prevalence of bladder cancer, public awareness is alarmingly low and federal research funding is inadequate,” said Rep. Cartwright. “Increased public awareness is crucial.  Awareness promotes early diagnosis of this disease and increases the chances of survival.”

When diagnosed and treated early, bladder cancer has a relative five-year survival rate of 98 percent.  If the diagnosis and treatment of the disease are delayed, the survival rate can drop as low as 15 percent.

Bladder cancer remains one of the most expensive cancers to treat on a per-patient basis, costing the nation an estimated $4 billion each year.

“On behalf of the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network (BCAN), and the over 500,000 American families living with Bladder Cancer, I would like to thank Congressman Matt Cartwright for his introduction of a resolution to designate May as “‘National Bladder Cancer Awareness Month,’” said Andrea Maddox-Smith, CEO of BCAN. “While Bladder Cancer is fifth in frequency of diagnosis, it is often an over-looked cancer in the public eye and in regard to federal research funding.  We join the Congressman in his efforts to increase public awareness and will continue to work with him to find a cure to this terrible disease.”