PRINTER'S NO. 3348
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
888
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY WHEATLEY, V. BROWN, GAINEY, KINSEY, TOOHIL, COHEN,
THOMAS, O'NEILL, LONGIETTI, READSHAW, BIZZARRO, CALTAGIRONE,
DRISCOLL, COOK-ARTIS, BULLOCK, VEREB, KIRKLAND, MAJOR,
MILLARD, J. HARRIS, WATSON, SCHLOSSBERG, YOUNGBLOOD, MURT,
WARD, DiGIROLAMO, NEILSON, LEWIS, DONATUCCI, ROSS AND
MARSICO, MAY 16, 2016
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
MAY 16, 2016
A RESOLUTION
Designating May 17, 2016, as "Pennsylvania Sickle Cell Advocacy
Day" in Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, Each year in the United States, approximately 2,000
infants are born with sickle cell disease; and
WHEREAS, Sickle cell disease is a blood disorder that affects
red blood cells; and
WHEREAS, Red blood cells which are normally round and soft
become sickle-shaped, making it difficult for these cells to
pass through small blood vessels; and
WHEREAS, Sickle cell disease occurs when a child inherits two
sickle hemoglobin genes, one from each parent; and
WHEREAS, There is no known universal cure for sickle cell
disease; and
WHEREAS, The complications from this serious disease can be
fatal, making the primary goal of health care providers to
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prevent complications such as sickle cell pain crisis; and
WHEREAS, Children with sickle cell disease require ongoing
medical attention and typically require hospitalization on an
intermittent, sometimes ongoing basis; and
WHEREAS, Hospitalizations and home recovery result in a
school-age child missing an average of one month of school per
year, which creates special challenges for the children, their
parents, educators and social workers; and
WHEREAS, If hospitalization occurs, this can be a difficult
time for children and their families, often causing economic
hardship that requires financial support for the families; and
WHEREAS, In the United States, sickle cell disease is most
common in African Americans, occurring in 1 out of every 500
births in this ethnic group, while also occurring in 1 out of
every 36,000 Hispanic-American births, and it also affects those
of Indian, Mediterranean and southern European descent; and
WHEREAS, Sickle cell disease affects 90,000 to 100,000 people
in the United States and millions of people worldwide; therefore
be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate May 17,
2016, as "Pennsylvania Sickle Cell Advocacy Day" in
Pennsylvania; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to
Mr. Michael Matthews, Executive Director, Children's Sickle Cell
Foundation, Inc., Gove Business Center, 226 Paul Street, Suite
105, Pittsburgh, PA 15211.
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