Mr. Speaker, October is breast cancer awareness month and a time to raise money for research.
Currently, one in nine Canadian women will develop breast cancer in her lifetime. In 2005, an estimated 21,600 women will be diagnosed with this terrible disease and 5,300 will die of it.
Five years ago, I was diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer. I know just how much this experience affects our lives and those of our partners, children and loved ones. I am among the survivors, one of the ones in remission.
In recent years, huge advances have been made as a result of research. That is why, since 1993, breast cancer incidence rates have stabilized and mortality rates have dropped.
I invite all my colleagues to support this important cause and to think about the thousands of women with breast cancer.