Bill Text: PA SR190 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Recognizing the month of October 2009 as "National Lupus Awareness Month."

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Passed) 2009-10-02 - Introduced and adopted [SR190 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2009-SR190-Introduced.html

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PRINTER'S NO. 1459
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE RESOLUTION
No. 190 Session of2009
INTRODUCED BY ORIE, MELLOW, PILEGGI, ALLOWAY, BOSCOLA, BROWNE, BRUBAKER, COSTA, DINNIMAN, EARLL, ERICKSON, FARNESE, FERLO, FONTANA, GREENLEAF, HUGHES, KASUNIC, KITCHEN, LOGAN, MUSTO, O'PAKE, PIPPY, RAFFERTY, ROBBINS, TARTAGLIONE, TOMLINSON, VOGEL, WARD, WASHINGTON, WAUGH, D. WHITE, M. WHITE AND STACK, OCTOBER 2, 2009
INTRODUCED AND ADOPTED, OCTOBER 2, 2009
A RESOLUTION
Recognizing the month of October 2009 as "National Lupus
Awareness Month."
WHEREAS, Lupus is a chronic, inflammatory autoimmune disease
which causes the immune system to attack the body's own tissue
and organs, including the kidneys, heart, lungs, brain, blood or
skin; and
WHEREAS, Lupus affects one out of every 185 Americans and
primarily strikes women between the ages of 15 and 45, but men
as well as children are also affected; and
WHEREAS, 1.5 million Americans are diagnosed with lupus, with
more than 66,000 living in Pennsylvania; and
WHEREAS, Lupus is more prevalent in African Americans,
Latinos, Native Americans and Asians; and
WHEREAS, Lupus is America's least known major disease but
strikes more people than leukemia, multiple sclerosis, muscular
dystrophy and cystic fibrosis combined; and
WHEREAS, Thousands of Americans die each year from lupus-
related complications; and
WHEREAS, Lupus is often referred to as "the disease that
fools," due to the patient's unawareness of its presence for
extended periods of time; and
WHEREAS, Clinicians may confuse lupus with other disorders,
and persons with lupus may give the appearance of being healthy;
and
WHEREAS, The majority of Americans do not understand lupus,
how widespread it is or its ramifications for the health care
industry; and
WHEREAS, With early diagnosis and current methods of therapy,
80% to 90% of persons with lupus can look forward to a normal
life span if they follow the instructions of their physicians,
take medications as prescribed and know when to seek medical
assistance; and
WHEREAS, The Patient Voice for Lupus Research is a strong
national effort to increase awareness and research on lupus; and
WHEREAS, The Lupus Research Institute was created in 1999 by
patients, their families and top scientists out of a sense of
urgency to attack and defeat lupus; and
WHEREAS, Today the Lupus Research Institute stands at the
forefront of innovation in lupus research and is supported
within Pennsylvania by the Lupus Foundation of Pennsylvania,
which has four regional chapters: Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, Erie
and Pocono Northeast and the Lupus Foundation, Philadelphia Tri-
State Chapter; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate recognize the month of October 2009
as "National Lupus Awareness Month."
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