PRINTER'S NO. 2146
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
407
Session of
2019
INTRODUCED BY JOHNSON-HARRELL, KINSEY, McCLINTON, DAWKINS,
CEPHAS, WHEATLEY, HARRIS, CALTAGIRONE, FRANKEL, SCHLOSSBERG,
KORTZ, BIZZARRO, DONATUCCI, KIRKLAND, McNEILL, WILLIAMS,
LONGIETTI, BURNS, YOUNGBLOOD, MILLARD, HILL-EVANS, MURT,
JONES, DiGIROLAMO, DAVIDSON, KOSIEROWSKI, MALAGARI, MARKOSEK,
DeLUCA, FREEMAN, ROEBUCK, DRISCOLL, MULLINS, MADDEN, BURGOS,
HENNESSEY, T. DAVIS, SAYLOR, BARRAR, TOEPEL AND READSHAW,
JUNE 17, 2019
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
JUNE 17, 2019
A RESOLUTION
Designating June 19, 2019, as "World Sickle Cell 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 group of disorders that
affects hemoglobin, the molecule in red blood cells that
delivers oxygen to cells throughout the body; 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, The National Institutes of Health in Bethesda,
Maryland, developed a stem cell transplantation procedure that
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
successfully cured Ieshea Thomas in 2011, the first sickle cell
disease patient in the Midwest United States to be cured; and
WHEREAS, The complications from this serious disease can be
fatal, making the primary goal of health care providers to
prevent complications such as sickle cell pain crisis and
infections; and
WHEREAS, In the United States, sickle cell disease occurs in
one in every 365 African-American births and one in every 16,300
Hispanic-American births; and
WHEREAS, Sickle cell disease is more common among those whose
ancestors came from sub-Saharan Africa, Spanish-speaking regions
in the Western Hemisphere, including South America, the
Caribbean and Central America, Saudi Arabia, India and
Mediterranean countries such as Turkey, Greece and Italy; and
WHEREAS, Sickle cell disease affects approximately 100,000
people in the United States and millions worldwide; and
WHEREAS, The World Health Organization designated June 19 as
"World Sickle Cell Day" and recognizes this disease as a public
health priority; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate June
19, 2019, as "World Sickle Cell Day" in Pennsylvania.
20190HR0407PN2146 - 2 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21