HR 502 — A Resolution recognizing the month of September 2026 as "Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania.

PRINTER'S NO.   3311

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



              HOUSE RESOLUTION
                 No. 502
                                                 Session of
                                                   2026

     INTRODUCED BY MALAGARI, GUZMAN, HOHENSTEIN, CONKLIN, McNEILL,
        HILL-EVANS, KAZEEM, SANCHEZ, FREEMAN, GUENST, BENNINGHOFF,
        DOUGHERTY, MADDEN, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, PASHINSKI, RIVERA,
        GALLAGHER, NEILSON AND CURRY, APRIL 29, 2026

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, APRIL 29, 2026


                                  A RESOLUTION
 1   Recognizing the month of September 2026 as "Thyroid Cancer
 2      Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania.
 3         WHEREAS, The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped gland
 4   located in the front of the neck that produces the thyroid
 5   hormones, which are involved in regulating an individual's
 6   metabolism; and
 7         WHEREAS, There are a number of conditions that an individual
 8   can suffer from if the individual's thyroid is not functioning
 9   properly; and
10         WHEREAS, One thyroid condition, hypothyroidism, occurs when
11   the thyroid gland does not produce enough of a thyroid hormone;
12   and
13         WHEREAS, Hypothyroidism can cause a variety of symptoms,
14   including fatigue and unexplained weight gain; and
15         WHEREAS, Treatment of hypothyroidism typically includes the
16   prescription of a synthetic thyroid hormone to restore adequate
17   hormone levels and reduce or eliminate symptoms; and
 1         WHEREAS, Another thyroid condition, hyperthyroidism, occurs
 2   when the thyroid gland produces too much of a thyroid hormone;
 3   and
 4         WHEREAS, Symptoms of hyperthyroidism include unintentional
 5   weight loss, rapid or irregular heartbeat and increased
 6   nervousness, anxiety and irritability; and
 7         WHEREAS, A number of medications may be prescribed to treat
 8   hyperthyroidism, including radioactive iodine, anti-thyroid
 9   medications, beta blockers and even surgery in rare cases; and
10         WHEREAS, Additionally, thyroid cancer is a condition that can
11   be accompanied by symptoms such as a lump in the neck, changes
12   to an individual's voice, difficulty swallowing, pain in the
13   neck and throat and swollen lymph nodes; and
14         WHEREAS, Factors that can increase the risk of thyroid cancer
15   include having higher levels of estrogen, exposure to high
16   levels of radiation and inherited genetic syndromes, such as
17   familial medullary thyroid cancer, multiple endocrine neoplasia,
18   and papillary thyroid cancer; and
19         WHEREAS, Papillary thyroid cancer is the most common type of
20   thyroid cancer with it accounting for 80% to 85% of all thyroid
21   cancer cases; and
22         WHEREAS, The American Cancer Society estimated that there
23   were 44,020 new cases of diagnosed thyroid cancer in 2025, with
24   31,350 of those diagnosed being women and 12,670 of those
25   diagnosed being men; and
26         WHEREAS, Thyroid cancer can be diagnosed at any age but the
27   average age is 51 years old; and
28         WHEREAS, Thyroid cancer can typically be cured with treatment
29   or surgery to remove all or most of the thyroid gland; and
30         WHEREAS, Due to how well thyroid cancers respond to

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 1   treatment, about 0.4% of thyroid cancer cases are fatal and the
 2   five-year relative survival rate is 98.4%; and
 3      WHEREAS, Approximately 20 million Americans have some form of
 4   thyroid disease, with women being five to eight times more
 5   likely than men to have thyroid issues; and
 6      WHEREAS, It is important to spread awareness of thyroid
 7   conditions, cancers and treatments in order to improve diagnosis
 8   and treatment outcomes for affected individuals; therefore be it
 9      RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize the
10   month of September 2026 as "Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month" in
11   Pennsylvania.




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