Bill Text: NY J01002 | 2021-2022 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Memorializing Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim November 14-20, 2021, as Thyroid Eye Disease Awareness Week in the State of New York

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2021-06-02 - ADOPTED [J01002 Detail]

Download: New_York-2021-J01002-Introduced.html

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Senate Resolution No. 1002

BY: Senator RIVERA

        MEMORIALIZING Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim
        November   14-20,   2021,  as  Thyroid  Eye  Disease
        Awareness Week in the State of New York

  WHEREAS, It is the custom of  this  Legislative  Body  to  recognize
official  weeks  that  are  set  aside  to increase awareness of serious
illnesses that affect the lives of citizens of New York State; and

  WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and  in  full  accord  with  its
long-standing  traditions,  this  Legislative  Body  is  justly proud to
memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim November  14-20,  2021,
as  Thyroid  Eye  Disease  Awareness  Week  in the State of New York, in
conjunction  with  the  observance  of  National  Thyroid  Eye   Disease
Awareness Week; and

  WHEREAS,  The National Institute of Health defines a rare disease as
a condition that affects fewer than 200,000 people in the United States;
currently there are approximately 7,000 rare diseases  impacting  almost
30 million Americans; and

  WHEREAS,  Thyroid  Eye  Disease  (TED) is a serious, progressive and
rare autoimmune condition in which the body's immune  system  mistakenly
attacks   healthy   muscle  and  fat  tissue  behind  the  eye,  causing
inflammation and scar tissue to form; and

  WHEREAS, People living with TED often have debilitating symptoms  of
eye   bulging,   double   vision,   blurred   vision,  pain  and  facial
disfigurement and, in severe cases, it can lead to blindness; and

  WHEREAS, People living with TED often experience long-term impact on
functional, psychosocial and economic burdens, including  the  inability
to work or perform activities of daily living; and

  WHEREAS,  The  exact  underlying  process by which TED occurs is not
fully understood and TED is a serious, vision threatening condition that
can get worse over time; and

  WHEREAS, TED is a rare disease and is estimated to have a prevalence
16 per 100,000 women in the general population, and 2.9 per 100,000  men
in the general population; and

  WHEREAS,  A  diagnosis  of  TED  is  based  upon  identification  of
characteristic symptoms, a detailed patient history, a thorough clinical
evaluation and a variety of specialized tests; and

  WHEREAS, There is a genetic component to the  condition  and  people
who  have  a  family  member with the disease or a family member with an
autoimmune disease are at a greater risk of  developing  the  condition;
and

  WHEREAS,  It  is  imperative that there be greater awareness of this
serious health condition, and more must be done to increase activity  at
the local, State and National levels; now, therefore, be it


  RESOLVED,  That  this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim November  14-20,  2021,
as  Thyroid  Eye Disease Awareness Week in the State of New York; and be
it further

  RESOLVED, That copies of this  Resolution,  suitably  engrossed,  be
transmitted  to  The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of
New York; American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association; and New York
Biotechnology Association and Prevent Blindness.