1Recognizing the month of May 2014 as "Lupus Awareness Month" and
2May 10, 2014, 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
17maintain employment; and

18WHEREAS, Nine out of ten people with lupus are women, and 80%

1of new cases are diagnosed among women between 15 and 44 years
2of age, with the majority of new cases seen in women in their
3late teens and early 20s; and

4WHEREAS, Although the disease is most frequently seen in
5those patients, individuals of any age or gender can develop
6lupus; and

7WHEREAS, Lupus was identified as a disease in 1872, but it is
8an underrecognized public health problem that attracts rare
9attention and funding for research for a cure; and

10WHEREAS, Lupus is often referred to as "the disease that
11fools," due to the patient's unawareness of its presence for
12extended periods of time; and

13WHEREAS, The Lupus Foundation of America, Philadelphia Tri-
14State Chapter and the Lupus Foundation of Pennsylvania, three
15nonprofit volunteer health organizations with a history of
16service since the early 1970s, provide supportive services to
17the victims of lupus, fund medical research into the disease's
18causes and possible treatments and educate the public concerning
19the realities of lupus; therefore be it

20RESOLVED, That the Senate recognize the month of May 2014 as
21"Lupus Awareness Month" and May 10, 2014, as "World Lupus Day"
22in Pennsylvania so that more attention and awareness may be
23given to the disease.