PRINTER'S NO. 1908
No. 317 Session of 2004
INTRODUCED BY C. WILLIAMS, MELLOW, BRIGHTBILL, WAGNER, MUSTO,
KITCHEN, THOMPSON, STOUT, COSTA, EARLL, SCHWARTZ,
TARTAGLIONE, RAFFERTY, KASUNIC, WENGER, PIPPY, DENT,
ARMSTRONG, BOSCOLA, LOGAN, CONTI, ERICKSON, WONDERLING,
GREENLEAF, FERLO, STACK AND LAVALLE, NOVEMBER 8, 2004
INTRODUCED AND ADOPTED, NOVEMBER 8, 2004
A RESOLUTION
1 Recognizing the week of October 12 through 20, 2004, as
2 "National Bone and Joint Decade Awareness Week" in
3 Pennsylvania.
4 WHEREAS, Musculoskeletal (bone and joint) disorders such as
5 arthritis, back pain, childhood musculoskeletal conditions,
6 osteoporosis and major limb trauma pose a significant and
7 increasing burden on American citizens; and
8 WHEREAS, Patients suffering from musculoskeletal conditions,
9 health care professionals who care for those patients, including
10 orthopedic surgeons, rheumatologists and physical therapists,
11 and medical and patient health associations are joining together
12 to advance the understanding and treatment of musculoskeletal
13 disorders through prevention, education and research; and
14 WHEREAS, Musculoskeletal conditions adversely affect the
15 occupational and social lives of millions of people throughout
16 this Commonwealth and one in every seven Americans, costing
17 billions of dollars in treatments and lost productivity; and
1 WHEREAS, The more the public and patients learn about
2 prevention activities, the better able they are to prevent a
3 musculoskeletal disorder; and
4 WHEREAS, The more patients with a musculoskeletal disorder
5 learn about treatment options, the better able they are to work
6 with their health care professional in determining the best
7 course of action; and
8 WHEREAS, The United Nations, the World Health Organization
9 and 37 countries have proclaimed the time period 2000 through
10 2010 as the Bone and Joint Decade; and
11 WHEREAS, This global initiative is intended to improve the
12 lives of people with musculoskeletal disorders and to advance
13 understanding and treatment of musculoskeletal disorders through
14 prevention, education and research; and
15 WHEREAS, The ten-year global initiative launched by United
16 Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan urges governments around
17 the world to start taking action to draw attention to the
18 growing pervasiveness and impact of musculoskeletal diseases and
19 to reduce the social and financial burdens to society; and
20 WHEREAS, On March 21, 2002, the President of the United
21 States proclaimed the years 2002 through 2011 the National Bone
22 and Joint Decade, recognizing the importance of promoting a
23 healthy musculoskeletal structure for all people from childhood
24 through adulthood; therefore be it
25 RESOLVED, That the Senate recognize the week of October 12
26 through 20, 2004, as "National Bone and Joint Decade Awareness
27 Week" in Pennsylvania; and be it further
28 RESOLVED, That during this week the communities and citizens
29 of this Commonwealth be encouraged to organize activities to
30 promote awareness of musculoskeletal conditions, prevention
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1 strategies and treatment options.
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