1Designating February 2, 2014, as "Rheumatoid Awareness Day" in
2Pennsylvania.

3WHEREAS, Rheumatoid arthritis is a progressive inflammatory
4disease causing damage to joint and organ tissues, resulting in
5severe pain, frequent disability and increased mortality; and

6WHEREAS, Rheumatoid arthritis, also known as Rheumatoid
7disease, affects about 1% of the world's population, with 1.6 to
82 million Americans currently diagnosed; and

9WHEREAS, Common symptoms of Rheumatoid disease include joint
10pain, fatigue, fevers, stiffness, hoarseness and dry eyes; and

11WHEREAS, There is a lack of awareness about Rheumatoid
12disease since it is often presumed to be a type of arthritis,
13leading to problems with disability accommodations, clinical
14care, healthcare reimbursement and research funding; and

15WHEREAS, The Mayo Clinic states that Rheumatoid arthritis
16patients are twice as likely to experience silent heart attacks
17and sudden cardiac deaths, and that the lifetime risk of the
18disease is 3.6% for women and 1.7% for men; and

1WHEREAS, Rheumatoid Awareness Day comes at the start of Heart
2Disease Awareness month, underscoring the impact Rheumatoid
3disease has on the heart prior to diagnosis; and

4WHEREAS, The Rheumatoid Patient Foundation selected February
52, 2014, as their inaugural Rheumatoid Awareness Day in order to
6increase public awareness of the disease; therefore be it

7RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate
8February 2, 2014, as "Rheumatoid Awareness Day" in Pennsylvania.