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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2017 - 2018
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | January 4, 2018 03:24 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Scott Martin |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Recognizing the month of May 2018 as “Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Awareness Month” in Pennsylvania |
| In the coming months I will be introducing a resolution to recognize the month of May 2018 as “Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) Awareness Month” in Pennsylvania. After hearing the story of a constituent’s daughter whose time was cut short by complications associated with EDS, it became apparent to me that more attention must be brought to this condition. EDS is a condition caused by a group of genetic disorders that affect connective tissue in the body, making them loose and unstable. EDS subsequently leads to regular dislocations of the joints, as well as fragile and hyper-elastic skin that bruises, scars and tears easily. There are fewer than 200,000 cases diagnosed in the United States each year, however, due to the rarity of the condition, it often goes undiagnosed. There is also no routine screening or cure for EDS. Limited treatment options and lack of common knowledge, along with varying symptoms that can be different for each patient, have hampered advances in treating this painful condition. An educated public, combined with a well-equipped medical community, could make a significant difference in early and accurate diagnoses of EDS. I hope you will join me in co-sponsoring this resolution to raise awareness of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. |
Introduced as SR336