Bill Text: MI SR0079 | 2013-2014 | 97th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: A resolution recognizing August 2013 as Spinal Muscular Atrophy Awareness Month in the state of Michigan.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 9-3)
Status: (Passed) 2013-08-27 - Adopted [SR0079 Detail]
Download: Michigan-2013-SR0079-Enrolled.html
SR-79, As Adopted by Senate, August 27, 2013
Senator Schuitmaker offered the following resolution:
Senate Resolution No. 79.
A resolution recognizing August 2013 as Spinal Muscular Atrophy Awareness Month in the state of Michigan.
Whereas, Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) kills more children than any other genetic disease; and
Whereas, SMA causes degeneration in voluntary muscle movement for those impacted by the disease, eventually affecting the ability to walk, sit, crawl, stand, breathe, eat, and even swallow; and
Whereas, One in 40 people, or nearly 10 million Americans, unknowingly carry the gene responsible for SMA; few have any known family history; and
Whereas, SMA is a pan-ethnic disease that does not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, or gender; and
Whereas, SMA does not affect the mind. Children with SMA are bright, sensitive, and playful in spite of their failing bodies; and
Whereas, Most children impacted by SMA succumb to the disease before their second birthday; and
Whereas, There is currently no treatment and no cure for SMA, but the National Institutes of Health selected SMA as the disease closest to treatment of more than 600 neurological disorders; and
Whereas, The nation’s leading researchers signed a statement stressing that, with adequate resources, a viable treatment or cure is attainable in as little as five years; and
Whereas, SMA research is considered a model approach, with the potential of benefiting millions of people impacted by other diseases, including ALS/Lou Gehrig’s disease, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, Fragile X syndrome, and Tay-Sachs disease, among others; and
Whereas, Increased awareness of SMA will lead to increased knowledge and increased support for both disease research and families affected by the disease, hopefully leading to a cure; and
Whereas, August has been declared as National Spinal Muscular Atrophy Awareness Month in order to raise awareness and help promote research into this devastating disease; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate, That we hereby recognize the month of August 2013 as Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Awareness Month in the state of Michigan.
