Good morning, everyone.

My name is Elliot Payne.

I'm the president of Minneapolis City Council.

Before we begin our meeting, we have presentations of two resolutions.

First, Councilmember Vita will present an honorary resolution related to breast cancer awareness month.

Okay.

All right.

There we go.

Good morning, everyone.

Welcome.

I'm so happy to have so many people here to celebrate breast cancer awareness month and to recognize October 2026 as breast cancer awareness month in the city of Minneapolis, whereas breast cancer is a life-threatening disease characterized by the formation of malignant cells in breast tissue and can affect people of all genders.

And whereas breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the United States, accounting for approximately one in three new cancers diagnosed in each woman, each in women each year.

And whereas the American Cancer Society estimates that in 2026, approximately 300 three 321, 910 women in the United States will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer, and approximately forty-two thousand one hundred forty women will die from the disease, and

whereas breast cancer is the most common invasive cancer diagnosed among women across every racial and ethnic group in Minnesota, with approximately five thousand three hundred new cases diagnosed among Minnesota women each year, and whereas breast cancer continues to disproportionately affect communities of color, with black women experiencing the highest breast cancer mortality

rate

among racial and ethnic groups in Minnesota, highlighting the continued need to address disparities in screening, diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship, and whereas early detection and timely treatment can significantly improve outcomes for people diagnosed with breast cancer with the five-year relative survival rate for localized breast cancer exceeding ninety-nine percent.

And whereas access to regular screening and timely follow-up care is essential to early detection, yet barriers including transportation, health insurance coverage, cost of care, and other social determinants of health can prevent people from receiving recommended screening and treatment.

And

as the Minnesota Department of Health Sage screening program helps Minnesotans with low incomes or anadequate insurance access to breast and cervical cancer screening, diagnostic services, and referrals and treatments.

Whereas advances in breast cancer research, screening, diagnosis, and treatment have improved survival and quality of life for millions of people.

Well, continued research remains essential in developing more effective treatments and ultimately preventing and curing breast cancer.

Whereas breast cancer affects not only those who receive a diagnosis, but also their families, their caregivers, friends, the workplace, friends, and colleagues, communities making compassion support and access to resources essential throughout treatment and survivorship.

And okay, and whereas breast cancer survivors, patients, and caregivers, advocates and healthcare professionals, researchers, and community organizations continue to demonstrate strength, resilience, and leadership in the fight against breast cancer.

And whereas Breast Cancer Awareness Month provides an important opportunity to increase public awareness, promote informed conversations about breast health and screening, support those affected by breast cancer, recognize survivors and those living with the disease, and remember those whose lives have been lost to breast cancer.

And whereas the city of Minneapolis recognizes that advancing health equity requires continued attention to the disparities that affect breast cancer outcomes and a commitment to ensuring that all Minneapolis residents have access to information, screening, treatment, and support.

Now, therefore, be it resolved by the City Council of the City of Minneapolis that the mayor and city council do hereby recognize October 2026 as breast cancer awareness month in the city of Minneapolis and encourage residents to support breast cancer awareness, research, early detection, treatment, survivorship, and efforts to eliminate disparities in breast cancer outcomes.

So

thank you to everyone.

I think we need some tissues if somebody has some, please.

It's a very special month for so many people.

I want to first say thank you to all the staff who came up to support breast cancer awareness month.

A lot of survivors, some folks are going through it right now.

Chief, come on up.

So thank you so much for um joining me today in supporting breast cancer awareness month.

I also want to thank two women who I've been working with for I don't know, 20 years now on making sure that women get screened.

Peggy and Nita are both huge.

They just help survivors out so much.

I mean, there's so many women in the community that rely on them to help with so many things.

So thank you, Peggy Anita, for being here.

I also just want to take a moment of silence for a woman named Luella Williams, who was here with us last year to support breast cancer awareness month, who passed away after four battles.

She beat breast cancer three times,

and

she passed in December during our fourth battle.

She worked with me for 10 years to get 300 women over three days screened for breast and cervical cancer.

She was amazing.

Even going through treatment, no matter what, she showed up for those three days to make sure that women got screened.

We love you.

A moment of silence,

please.

Thank

you, Councilmember Vita, Margaret Anderson Kelleher, the CEO for the city.

And uh I began this journey of being a breast cancer survivor in 2019.

Um I didn't have a family history at all of this disease in my family.

And I want to say that to everyone because so often I think we focus on uh the genetics of things and things like that.

It's important to get screened no matter what and have that baseline detection early on.

That's what helped diagnose my breast cancer.

And um, I also just want to acknowledge that most women and men who are diagnosed with breast cancer work full-time while they go through treatment.

And so being aware of that and being cognizant of that is also really important.

But this is my reminder to everyone please by the end of the year get screened.

Uh that baseline detection is so important.