THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE RESOLUTION

INTRODUCED BY BOYD, BAKER, BEAR, BEYER, BISHOP, BROOKS, CALTAGIRONE, CLYMER, COHEN, CONKLIN, D. COSTA, CREIGHTON, DELOZIER, DiGIROLAMO, DONATUCCI, DRUCKER, EVERETT, FLECK, FRANKEL, GEIST, GEORGE, GIBBONS, GILLESPIE, GINGRICH, GODSHALL, GOODMAN, GRUCELA, HARHART, HELM, HENNESSEY, HESS, HICKERNELL, KORTZ, KOTIK, KULA, MAJOR, MANDERINO, MANN, MARSHALL, MARSICO, McGEEHAN, MICOZZIE, MILLARD, MOUL, MUSTIO, M. O'BRIEN, O'NEILL, PALLONE, PAYNE, PHILLIPS, QUINN, RAPP, ROEBUCK, ROSS, SAINATO, SANTONI, SCAVELLO, SIPTROTH, SONNEY, STERN, SWANGER, TALLMAN, TRUE, VEREB, VULAKOVICH, WATSON AND WHEATLEY, NOVEMBER 9, 2009

INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35, NOVEMBER 9, 2009  

A RESOLUTION

Designating November 14, 2009, as "World Diabetes Day" in

Pennsylvania.

WHEREAS, In a 2007 telephone survey conducted for the

Department of Health, 9% of adults surveyed indicated that they

had diabetes and those with diabetes tended to be low-income

individuals with no more than a high school education; and

WHEREAS, In the United States, one-quarter of women and one-

third of men who have diabetes are unaware they have the

disease; and

WHEREAS, The United Nations has called diabetes "a chronic,

debilitating and costly disease associated with major

complications that pose severe risks for families, countries and

the entire world"; and

WHEREAS, Complications of diabetes include heart disease,

stroke, kidney disease, nerve disease, blindness and amputation;

and

WHEREAS, Control of blood glucose levels in people who have

diabetes has been shown to dramatically decrease the likelihood

of the occurrence of complications, thus improving the patients'

quality of life and decreasing health care expenditures; and

WHEREAS, Education concerning diabetes is critical in raising

awareness and in managing diabetes with a healthy lifestyle; and

WHEREAS, According to a 2001 study in the New England Journal

of Medicine, up to 90% of type 2 diabetes cases in women could

be preventable by adopting a healthier lifestyle that includes

improved diet and exercise and excludes tobacco and alcohol; and

WHEREAS, Diabetes and diabetes-related illness will take the

lives of approximately four million people this year; and

WHEREAS, The United Nations has declared November 14 as

"World Diabetes Day" since 2007 and invites all member states

and individuals to observe this day; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate

November 14, 2009, as "World Diabetes Day" in Pennsylvania; and

be it further

RESOLVED, That people who have diabetes, their families and

friends and health care professionals in this Commonwealth be

urged to utilize this day to increase awareness and

understanding of diabetes so that in the future people with

diabetes will be better able to care for their own needs and

others will be better prepared to serve the needs of people who

have diabetes.