April 12, 2004

National Minority Cancer Awareness Week — April 18 through 24 — provides a special opportunity for mayors to promote the need for early detection in minority communities. The cancer awareness message is especially important for minority populations because of their high cancer incidence and mortality rates. For example, deaths from breast and colon cancer are higher in African American women than for women of any other racial and ethnic group. Hispanic women have higher rates of cervical cancer. African American men have the highest death rates from prostate, colon and rectum cancer. Asians have greater rates of stomach and liver cancer. For more information about National Minority Cancer Awareness Week activities, contact your local unit of the American Cancer Society, which can be located by calling 1-800-ACS-2345.

The USCM Cancer Awareness Program is compiling information about how mayors are supporting National Minority Cancer Awareness Week. Please send this information to Crystal D. Swann, Assistant Executive Director, U. S. Conference of Mayors, by e-mail: cswann@usmayors.org; or by mail: 1620 Eye Street, NW, 4th Floor, Washington, DC 20006. Ms. Swann also may be reached by telephone at: 202-293-7330.