PRINTER'S NO. 640

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE RESOLUTION

No. 44 Session of 1999

        INTRODUCED BY SEYFERT, PIPPY, GEORGE, L. I. COHEN, KENNEY,
           DEMPSEY, HARHAI, BARRAR, MELIO, DONATUCCI, BEBKO-JONES,
           READSHAW, PESCI, SCHULER, SATHER, HALUSKA, CURRY, WOJNAROSKI,
           ROSS, MASLAND, HORSEY, BELARDI, LESCOVITZ, RUBLEY, FORCIER,
           McNAUGHTON, TANGRETTI, JOSEPHS, CORRIGAN, GIGLIOTTI, HERSHEY,
           LEDERER, FAIRCHILD, TRAVAGLIO, BUNT, MARSICO, CAPPABIANCA,
           BARD, LAUGHLIN, WALKO, MANDERINO, PETRONE, ADOLPH, CLARK,
           HARHART, CIVERA, HESS, CALTAGIRONE, ROBERTS, RAMOS,
           SCRIMENTI, GEIST, S. MILLER, B. SMITH, KIRKLAND, TIGUE, ORIE,
           YOUNGBLOOD, STABACK, BAKER, ARMSTRONG, E. Z. TAYLOR,
           SERAFINI, WASHINGTON, DeLUCA AND PISTELLA, FEBRUARY 22, 1999

        INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
           FEBRUARY 22, 1999

                                  A RESOLUTION

     1  Declaring the month of May 1999 as "Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy
     2     Syndrome Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania.

     3     WHEREAS, All Pennsylvanians should be made aware that a
     4  multitude of seemingly unrelated disorders constitute the
     5  serious condition known as reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome
     6  (RSDS); and
     7     WHEREAS, There are an estimated 8 million people throughout
     8  the United States who suffer from RSDS, a painful disorder
     9  caused by an overactive sympathetic nervous system following a
    10  trauma, injury, infection or surgery; and
    11     WHEREAS, In 70% of patients RSDS spreads through the same
    12  and/or opposite extremities, and RSDS can spread throughout the
    13  body; and

     1     WHEREAS, Any part of the body, internally or externally, may
     2  be affected, causing constant and excruciating pain; and
     3     WHEREAS, Despite the efforts of many health care
     4  professionals, researchers and doctors, RSDS remains extremely
     5  difficult to diagnose and treat; and
     6     WHEREAS, If undetected and untreated in the early stages of
     7  the disease, the cure rate for RSDS drops significantly to less
     8  than 5%, and RSDS may become a lifelong debilitating condition;
     9  therefore be it
    10     RESOLVED, That the House of Representative declare the month
    11  of May 1999 as "Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome Awareness
    12  Month" in Pennsylvania; and be it further
    13     RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives urge the citizens
    14  of this Commonwealth to learn about the causes, symptoms,
    15  diagnoses and treatments for RSDS; and be it further
    16     RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to
    17  the Philadelphia Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Support Group, the
    18  Northwestern Pennsylvania Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome
    19  Association and the Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome
    20  Association of America.







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