Governor Gretchen Whitmer is a lifelong Michigander. She is a lawyer, an educator, former prosecutor, State Representative and Senator. She was the first woman to lead a Senate caucus. But the most important title she boasts is MOM. Inspired by her family, she’s devoted her life to building a stronger Michigan for everyone.
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June 16, 2019
WHEREAS, Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP) is a hereditary condition which causes affected individuals to have nearly a 100 percent risk of developing colon cancer if undiagnosed and/or untreated and increased risks of developing small intestinal cancer, thyroid cancer, stomach cancer, pancreatic cancer, liver cancer, brain cancer, desmoid tumors, and osteomas, and accounts for about 0.5 percent of all cases of colorectal cancer; and,
WHEREAS, FAP occurs most often in pre-teen to young teenage years, affects 1 in 5,000 to 10,000 people, and an affected person may be unaware of having the condition; and,
WHEREAS, the brothers, sisters, and children of persons affected with FAP have a 50 percent risk of inheriting the condition; FAP can be diagnosed through genetic testing, which can enable family members to avoid unnecessary screening if it is determined that they do not have FAP and through a colonoscopy to determine if there are more than 100 polyps in the colon; and,
WHEREAS, every person should talk with their health care provider to determine their need for genetic counseling and testing for FAP; and,
WHEREAS, appropriate and effective FAP screenings and accurate health management can significantly reduce the risk of colon cancer and associated cancers from nearly 100 percent to nearly 0 percent in those affected with FAP, thus enabling those who are effectively treated to live to normal life expectancies and improve quality of life; and,
WHEREAS, during this week, we join with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Michigan Cancer Genetics Alliance, and community service partners, such as the Cancer Support Community of Greater Ann Arbor and Gilda’s Club of Grand Rapids, to raise awareness of FAP; and,
WHEREAS, we urge all residents to gather their family history and take necessary steps to evaluate their risk for FAP with their health care provider and to communicate this with their family members in order to save lives;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Gretchen Whitmer, governor of Michigan, do hereby proclaim June 16-22, 2019, as Familial Adenomatous Polyposis Awareness Week in Michigan.