Bill Text: IL SR0576 | 2009-2010 | 96th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Designates the third full week of September in each year as Mitochondrial Disease Awareness Week.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Passed) 2010-03-24 - Resolution Adopted [SR0576 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2009-SR0576-Introduced.html

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SR0576 LRB096 15269 KXB 32091 r
SENATE RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Jasper Rylan Sherman was born on September 1, 2005
and passed away on February 25, 2009 after waging a courageous
battle against Mitochondrial Disease; Jasper's memory lives on
in the minds and hearts of his loving family and friends who
remain committed to educating the public about Mitochondrial
Disease with the hope of one day finding a cure; and
WHEREAS, Mitochondria are the power plants in every cell of
a person's body and create more than 90% of the energy needed
by the body to sustain life and support growth; mitochondria
may not function correctly due to genetic defects, damage
caused by drugs, or damage caused by destructive molecules
called free radicals; and
WHEREAS, When mitochondria fail, cell injury and cell death
follow, and if the process is repeated throughout the body,
whole systems begin to fail; and
WHEREAS, Mitochondrial diseases can cause isolated
symptoms like seizures, low blood counts, blindness, deafness,
dementia, heart failure, and progressive muscle weakness, but
more often they cause failure of several organ systems in
sequence; and

SR0576 - 2 - LRB096 15269 KXB 32091 r
WHEREAS, Mitochondrial diseases can affect any person at
any age; it is estimated that more than one in 4,000 children
born in the United States each year will develop a
mitochondrial disease by 10 years of age; and
WHEREAS, Since mitochondrial disorders mimic other
diseases, it is believed that they are under-diagnosed; and
WHEREAS, Currently no cures or effective therapies exist,
but early diagnosis can help patients and their families use
proper medication and nutritional supplements to improve the
quality of life, and even prolong life; and
WHEREAS, It is appropriate that all citizens of the State
of Illinois be better informed about mitochondrial diseases and
their impact; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL
ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we designate the third
full week of September in each year as Mitochondrial Disease
Awareness Week in the State of Illinois, and the citizens of
the State of Illinois are urged to observe the week with
appropriate activities and programs.