PRINTER'S NO. 1561
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
343
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY McNEILL, BISHOP, MACKENZIE, MILLARD, DiGIROLAMO,
KINSEY, MURT, HENNESSEY, BENNINGHOFF, BAKER, BROWNLEE,
DONATUCCI, ROZZI, SCHLOSSBERG, SONNEY, DUSH, KOTIK, VEREB,
READSHAW, KAVULICH, FARINA, LONGIETTI, PASHINSKI, WHEELAND
AND GINGRICH, MAY 13, 2015
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
MAY 13, 2015
A RESOLUTION
Designating the month May 2015 as "Huntington's Disease
Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, Huntington's disease is a fatal genetic disorder
that causes the progressive breakdown of nerve cells in the
brain leading to deterioration of a person's physical and mental
abilities; and
WHEREAS, Symptoms of Huntington's disease include;
personality changes, mood swings, depression, forgetfulness,
impaired judgment, unsteady gait, involuntary movements, slurred
speech, difficulty in swallowing and significant weight loss;
and
WHEREAS, Symptoms usually appear in individuals between 30 to
50 years of age and worsen over a 10 to 25 year period; and
WHEREAS, The Huntington's Disease Society of America
estimates there are approximately 30,000 symptomatic Americans
and more than 200,000 at-risk of inheriting the disease; and
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WHEREAS, Huntington's disease is known as the quintessential
family disease because every child of a parent with Huntington's
disease has a 50% chance of carrying the faulty gene; and
WHEREAS, Huntington's disease slowly diminishes the affected
individual's ability to walk, think, talk and reason, eventually
making the person totally dependent upon others for his or her
care; and
WHEREAS, Huntington's disease profoundly affects the lives of
entire families emotionally, socially and economically; and
WHEREAS, Lack of knowledge about Huntington's disease may
keep friends and neighbors from offering social and emotional
support to the family, fostering unnecessary isolation; and
WHEREAS, In 1993, researchers identified the gene that causes
Huntington's disease and have developed treatments in hopes of
ultimately finding a cure; and
WHEREAS, There is still a need for greater public awareness
of Huntington's disease and more activity at the national, State
and local levels to support those afflicted, as well as their
families and caregivers; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate the
month of May 2015 as "Huntington's Disease Awareness Month" in
Pennsylvania.
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