Bill Clinton

“ I ask health care professionals, private industry, advocacy groups, community associations, insurance companies, and all other interested organizations and individual citizens, for the sake of American women and for their loved ones, to unite in publicly reaffirming our Nation's continuing commitment to the provision of breast cancer screening. ”

“ Today, mammography is considered the most effective method for detecting early stage breast cancer. Many cancers can be seen on a mammogram as soon as 2 years before they could be detected by a woman or her physician. But only half of all women ages 50 and older have had a mammogram in the past 2 years, and as few as 30 percent have mammograms routinely. African American women experience a higher death rate from breast cancer than white women, and recently we learned that this is primarily because they are diagnosed at more advanced stages of the disease. ”

“ The risk of death is reduced significantly if the cancer can be found in the earlier, more treatable stages. With appropriate breast cancer screening and state-of-the-art care, experts expect to see a 30 percent drop in the death rate. Together, we must work to make sure that every woman is informed about breast cancer and about the importance of regular examinations, including high-quality screening mammography. And we must ensure that all women have access to this invaluable preventive care. ”