1Recognizing the month of May 2013 as "Lupus Awareness Month" and
2May 10, 2013, as "World Lupus Day" in Pennsylvania.

3WHEREAS, Every day an estimated 65,000 Pennsylvanians, 1.5
4million Americans and five million people worldwide struggle
5with the debilitating consequences of lupus, a potentially fatal
6autoimmune disease that can damage any part of a lupus patient's
7body; and

8WHEREAS, In an autoimmune disease like lupus, the immune
9system effectively loses its way, and, instead of warding off
10foreign invaders like viruses and bacteria, the immune system
11attacks healthy cells, causing inflammation and pain and leading
12to permanent damage; and

13WHEREAS, Lupus has no cure and no known cause, and, despite
14the current treatment and available medications, many lupus
15patients have symptoms that cannot be managed well enough for
16patients to lead normal lives, complete their education and

1maintain employment; and

2WHEREAS, Nine out of ten people with lupus are women, and 80%
3of new cases are diagnosed among women between 15 and 44 years
4of age, with the majority of new cases seen in women in their
5late teens and early 20s; and

6WHEREAS, Although the disease is most frequently seen in
7those patients, individuals of any age or gender can develop
8lupus; and

9WHEREAS, Lupus was identified as a disease in 1872, but it is
10an underrecognized public health problem that attracts rare
11attention and funding for research for a cure; and

12WHEREAS, Lupus is often referred to as "the disease that
13fools," due to the patient's unawareness of its presence for
14extended periods of time; and

15WHEREAS, The Lupus Foundation of America, Philadelphia Tri-
16State Chapter and the Lupus Foundation of Pennsylvania, two
17nonprofit volunteer health organizations with a history of
18service since the early 1970s, provide supportive services to
19the victims of lupus, fund medical research into the disease's
20causes and possible treatments and educate the public concerning
21the realities of lupus; therefore be it

22RESOLVED, That the Senate recognize the month of May 2013 as
23"Lupus Awareness Month" and May 10, 2013, as "World Lupus Day"
24in Pennsylvania so that more attention and awareness may be
25given to the disease.