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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2013 - 2014
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | April 29, 2013 03:37 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Jerry Stern |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Resolution Recognizing August 2013 as ALD Awareness Month in Pennsylvania |
| In the near future, I plan to introduce a resolution that will recognize the month of August 2013 as Adrenoleukodystrophy Awareness Month in Pennsylvania. Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) is an X-linked genetic disorder that affects the adrenal glands and is characterized by progressive brain and central nervous system deterioration. ALD affects mostly males, although some women who are carriers can have milder forms of the disease. Childhood cerebral ALD affects boys between the ages of 4 and 10 who develop normally until the onset of symptoms which progress rapidly and eventually lead to death. The adult form of Adrenomyeloneuropathy (AMN) affects otherwise healthy adult males between the ages of 20 and 40, affecting the spinal cord and leads to symptoms similar to multiple sclerosis which worsen over a period of decades. 35% of men affected by AMN develop cerebral symptoms similar to ALD that leads to death in just a few short years. ALD is more widespread than Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), often referred to as "Lou Gehrig's Disease. The intent of this resolution is to increase awareness, understanding and promote research on this disease so that children and adults with ALD can be identified as early as possible while there is the best hope of a beneficial treatment. I invite you to cosponsor this resolution with me. Thank you. |
Introduced as HR408