PRINTER'S NO. 1180
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE RESOLUTION
No.
199
Session of
2019
INTRODUCED BY TARTAGLIONE, SCHWANK, PHILLIPS-HILL, BREWSTER,
FONTANA, IOVINO, FARNESE, DINNIMAN, MARTIN, LEACH, BROWNE,
HUGHES, J. WARD, BARTOLOTTA, MASTRIANO, MENSCH, BLAKE,
YUDICHAK, HUTCHINSON, AUMENT AND BAKER, SEPTEMBER 23, 2019
INTRODUCED AND ADOPTED, SEPTEMBER 23, 2019
A RESOLUTION
Recognizing the month of September 2019 as "National Spinal Cord
Injury Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, Seventeen thousand spinal cord injuries occur in the
United States each year; and
WHEREAS, Approximately 300,000 Americans, including 40,000
veterans, have spinal cord injuries; and
WHEREAS, Spinal cord injuries often result in paralysis of
either the lower body, paraplegia, or the upper and lower body,
quadriplegia, and often can cause respiratory illness, sleep
apnea, a form of high blood pressure known as autonomic
dysreflexia, inability to regulate body temperature, chronic
pain and impaired use of bladder, bowel and reproductive organs;
and
WHEREAS, Spinal cord injury may increase an individual's risk
for osteoporosis, obesity, high cholesterol and diabetes, making
physical activity especially important to the physical and
emotional well-being of individuals with spinal cord injuries;
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and
WHEREAS, Every 48 minutes another individual in the United
States becomes paralyzed from a spinal cord injury; and
WHEREAS, The Senate affirms the necessity of addressing
spinal cord injuries and the particular challenges of spinal
cord injury care and recovery for individuals with new or
existing injuries and for their loved ones and caregivers; and
WHEREAS, The Senate further notes the significance of
ensuring access to related resources and benefits, advancing
medical research and disseminating public education and
outreach; and
WHEREAS, "National Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Month" offers
an opportunity for individuals to learn about spinal cord
injuries, recognize the daily challenges encountered by injured
individuals and acknowledge the achievements of Americans living
with spinal cord injury; and
WHEREAS, The United States Department of Veterans Affairs, a
leading advocate for "National Spinal Cord Injury Awareness
Month," offers inpatient, outpatient, home care and respite care
services as well as specialty health care programs for
individuals living with a spinal cord injury and facilitates the
progress of related research through its network of specialized
care centers and primary care teams; and
WHEREAS, The Buoniconti Fund, in furtherance of its work
addressing spinal cord injury awareness and its national and
international objectives related to curing paralysis, is urging
all individuals in our communities to support its largest
campaign; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate recognize the month of September
2019 as "National Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Month" in
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Pennsylvania.
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