THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

SENATE RESOLUTION

INTRODUCED BY SOLOBAY, KASUNIC, BROWNE, COSTA, ERICKSON, FONTANA, RAFFERTY, SCHWANK, STACK, KITCHEN, ALLOWAY, DINNIMAN, M. WHITE, BAKER, VOGEL, PIPPY, D. WHITE, GREENLEAF, FERLO, TARTAGLIONE, PILEGGI, BREWSTER, BLAKE AND BOSCOLA, MAY 1, 2012

INTRODUCED AND ADOPTED, MAY 1, 2012  

A RESOLUTION

Recognizing the month of May 2012 as "Lupus Awareness Month" and

May 10, 2012, as "World Lupus Day" in Pennsylvania.

WHEREAS, Every day an estimated 65,000 Pennsylvanians, 1.5

million Americans and five million people worldwide struggle

with the debilitating consequences of lupus, a potentially fatal

autoimmune disease that can damage any part of a lupus patient's

body; and

WHEREAS, In an autoimmune disease like lupus, the immune

system effectively loses its way, and, instead of warding off

foreign invaders like viruses and bacteria, the immune system

attacks healthy cells, causing inflammation and pain and leading

to permanent damage; and

WHEREAS, Lupus has no cure and no known cause, and, despite

the current treatment and available medications, many lupus

patients have symptoms that cannot be managed well enough for

patients to lead normal lives, complete their education and

maintain employment; and

WHEREAS, Nine out of ten people with lupus are women, and 80%

of new cases are diagnosed among women between 15 and 44 years

of age, with the majority of new cases seen in women in their

late teens and early 20s; and

WHEREAS, Although the disease is most frequently seen in

those patients, individuals of any age or gender can develop

lupus; and

WHEREAS, Lupus was identified as a disease in 1872, but it is

an underrecognized public health problem that attracts rare

attention and funding for research for a cure; and

WHEREAS, Lupus is often referred to as "the disease that

fools," due to the patient's unawareness of its presence for

extended periods of time; and

WHEREAS, The Lupus Foundation of Pennsylvania, a nonprofit

volunteer health organization with a history of service since

1975, provides supportive services to the victims of lupus,

funds medical research into the disease's causes and possible

treatments and educates the public concerning the realities of

lupus; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the Senate recognize the month of May 2012 as

"Lupus Awareness Month" and May 10, 2012, as "World Lupus Day"

in Pennsylvania so that more attention and awareness may be

given to the disease.