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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2015 - 2016
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | April 21, 2016 12:19 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator John C. Rafferty, Jr. |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Lupus Awareness Month |
| In the near future, I plan to offer a resolution recognizing May 2016 as “Lupus Awareness Month” and May 10, 2016, as “World Lupus Day” in Pennsylvania. As you may know, lupus is a chronic, inflammatory disease in which an unstable immune system begins to attack its own tissue and organs. It is estimated that lupus affects one out of every 185 people in America and over 65,000 Pennsylvanians. Although lupus can occur at any age and in either sex, 90 percent of people with lupus are women between the ages of 15 and 45, and minority women are disproportionately diagnosed with lupus compared to other demographics. While most people experience milder cases of lupus, this disease can be fatal. To this day, the causes of lupus are unknown and there are no known permanent cures for the disease. However, with early diagnosis and therapy, 80 to 90 percent of people with lupus can enjoy a normal life span. Increased awareness, treatment availability, and improved diagnostic techniques are critical to the early diagnosis and treatment of this disease. Please join me in sponsoring this resolution. |
Introduced as SR360