PRINTER'S NO. 3653
No. 726 Session of 2008
INTRODUCED BY STURLA, ADOLPH, BEAR, BEYER, BISHOP, BRENNAN, CALTAGIRONE, CAUSER, CLYMER, COHEN, CONKLIN, CREIGHTON, CUTLER, DALEY, DeLUCA, DePASQUALE, DiGIROLAMO, DONATUCCI, FRANKEL, FREEMAN, GALLOWAY, GEIST, GEORGE, GILLESPIE, GINGRICH, GODSHALL, GOODMAN, GRUCELA, HARHART, HELM, HENNESSEY, HERSHEY, HESS, HICKERNELL, JAMES, KILLION, KOTIK, KULA, MAHONEY, MAJOR, MANN, MANTZ, MILLARD, MOUL, MOYER, MURT, MUSTIO, MYERS, O'NEILL, PALLONE, PARKER, PAYNE, PHILLIPS, RAMALEY, READSHAW, REICHLEY, ROSS, SAINATO, SANTONI, SAYLOR, SCAVELLO, SHIMKUS, K. SMITH, SONNEY, SWANGER, TRUE, VULAKOVICH, WALKO, J. WHITE, WOJNAROSKI, YOUNGBLOOD, MELIO AND BASTIAN, MAY 2, 2008
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35, MAY 2, 2008
A RESOLUTION 1 Recognizing May 6, 2008, as "World Asthma Day 2008" in 2 Pennsylvania. 3 WHEREAS, "World Asthma Day 2008" will take place on May 6, 4 2008; and 5 WHEREAS, This year's event will continue the focus on the 6 positive theme introduced for World Asthma Day 2007, "You Can 7 Control Your Asthma"; and 8 WHEREAS, This theme is consistent with the emphasis on asthma 9 control set out in the latest versions of the Global Initiative 10 for Asthma (GINA) guideline documents and will help to spread 11 the word that asthma control is the goal of treatment and can be 12 achieved in the vast majority of asthma patients with proper
1 management; and 2 WHEREAS, "World Asthma Day" is organized by GINA in 3 collaboration with the Pennsylvania Asthma Partnership to raise 4 awareness about asthma and improve asthma care throughout the 5 world; and 6 WHEREAS, Each year GINA chooses a theme and organizes 7 preparation and distribution of "World Asthma Day" materials and 8 resources; and 9 WHEREAS, "World Asthma Day" activities are organized in each 10 country by health care professionals, educators and members of 11 the public who want to help reduce the burden of asthma; and 12 WHEREAS, The first "World Asthma Day" in 1998 was celebrated 13 in more than 35 countries in conjunction with the first world 14 asthma meeting held in Barcelona, Spain; and 15 WHEREAS, Participation has increased with each "World Asthma 16 Day" held since then, and the day has become one of the world's 17 most important asthma awareness and education events; and 18 WHEREAS, Many Americans are afflicted by asthma, a serious 19 chronic lung disease, caused by continual airway inflammation 20 punctuated by episodes or attacks of increased inflammation 21 often in response to specific triggers; and 22 WHEREAS, These attacks, characterized by difficulty in 23 breathing, occasionally are extreme and constitute a medical 24 emergency; and 25 WHEREAS, Over the past two decades, the burden of asthma in 26 the United States has greatly increased; however, within the 27 last few years, mortality and hospitalizations due to asthma 28 have decreased and asthma prevalence has stabilized, possibly 29 indicating an improved level of disease management; and 30 WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania Asthma Partnership is comprised of 20080H0726R3653 - 2 -
1 dedicated professionals, consumers, pharmacies, environmental 2 groups, nonprofit organizations, respiratory therapists, 3 registered nurses, insurance providers, Medicaid providers, 4 medical centers, local asthma coalitions, physicians, community 5 health centers, a Statewide epidemiologist and State agencies; 6 and 7 WHEREAS, Partners will work on short-term, medium-term and 8 long-term outcomes that when implemented, can be measured; and 9 WHEREAS, The ultimate goal of these efforts is to decrease 10 asthma morbidity, mortality and costs and to increase the 11 quality of life for those with asthma; and 12 WHEREAS, The mission of the Pennsylvania Asthma Partnership 13 is to partner collaboratively in the dedication of expertise and 14 resources in the ongoing development and implementation of a 15 sustainable Statewide asthma plan that expands and improves the 16 quality of asthma care and management, education, awareness, 17 prevention and surveillance and seeks to eliminate the 18 disproportionate burden that asthma places on racial and ethnic 19 minorities and low-income residents of this Commonwealth; 20 therefore be it 21 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize May 6, 22 2008, as "World Asthma Day 2008" in Pennsylvania. D25L82BIL/20080H0726R3653 - 3 -