PRINTER'S NO. 908
No. 145 Session of 2005
INTRODUCED BY HESS, MAHER, ARGALL, BAKER, BALDWIN, BARRAR, BASTIAN, BEBKO-JONES, BELARDI, BELFANTI, BENNINGHOFF, BISHOP, BOYD, CALTAGIRONE, CAPPELLI, CAUSER, CAWLEY, CLYMER, CORRIGAN, CRAHALLA, CREIGHTON, CRUZ, CURRY, DALLY, DeLUCA, DENLINGER, DeWEESE, DiGIROLAMO, DIVEN, DONATUCCI, J. EVANS, FAIRCHILD, FLEAGLE, FORCIER, FRANKEL, FREEMAN, GEIST, GINGRICH, GOODMAN, GRUCELA, HARHAI, HARPER, HENNESSEY, HERMAN, HERSHEY, HICKERNELL, HUTCHINSON, JAMES, W. KELLER, KENNEY, KOTIK, LEACH, LEDERER, LEH, MAJOR, MARKOSEK, MARSICO, McGILL, McILHATTAN, McILHINNEY, MELIO, S. MILLER, MUNDY, MUSTIO, NAILOR, O'NEILL, PALLONE, PAYNE, PHILLIPS, PICKETT, PISTELLA, RAPP, READSHAW, REICHLEY, ROBERTS, ROHRER, ROSS, RUBLEY, SAINATO, SANTONI, SATHER, SCAVELLO, SCHRODER, SHANER, B. SMITH, STABACK, STERN, SURRA, TANGRETTI, E. Z. TAYLOR, THOMAS, TIGUE, WALKO, WATSON, WILT, WOJNAROSKI, YOUNGBLOOD, YUDICHAK AND ZUG, MARCH 14, 2005
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35, MARCH 14, 2005
A RESOLUTION 1 Designating the month of May 2005 as "Cystic Fibrosis Awareness 2 Month" in Pennsylvania. 3 WHEREAS, Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disease affecting 4 approximately 30,000 children and adults in the United States; 5 and 6 WHEREAS, A defective gene causes the body to produce an 7 abnormally thick, sticky mucus that clogs the lungs; and 8 WHEREAS, These secretions produce life-threatening lung 9 infections and obstruct the pancreas, preventing digestive 10 enzymes from reaching the intestines to help break down and
1 absorb food; and 2 WHEREAS, More than 10 million Americans are unknowing, 3 symptomless carriers of the defective CF gene; and 4 WHEREAS, CF occurs in approximately one of every 3,900 live 5 births in the United States; and 6 WHEREAS, The median age of survival for a person with CF is 7 less than 35 years; and 8 WHEREAS, With advances in the treatment of CF, the number of 9 adults with CF has steadily grown; and 10 WHEREAS, Nearly 40% of the CF population is 18 years of age 11 and older; and 12 WHEREAS, People with CF have a variety of symptoms attributed 13 to the more than 1,000 mutations of the CF gene; and 14 WHEREAS, These varied symptoms are associated with a high 15 rate of delay in diagnosis and treatment; and 16 WHEREAS, Infant blood screening to detect genetic defects is 17 the most reliable and least costly method to identify persons 18 likely to have CF; and 19 WHEREAS, Early diagnosis of CF permits early treatment and 20 enhances quality of life and longevity; and 21 WHEREAS, The treatment of CF depends on the stage of the 22 disease and the organs involved; and 23 WHEREAS, Clearing mucus from the lungs is an important part 24 of the daily CF treatment regimen, and other types of treatments 25 include tobramycin solution for inhalation and azithromycin; and 26 WHEREAS, There are world-class treatment centers in this 27 Commonwealth which specialize in the diagnosis of CF and the 28 care of persons with CF; and 29 WHEREAS, Improving the length and quality of life for people 30 with CF starts with awareness; therefore be it 20050H0145R0908 - 2 -
1 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate the 2 month of May 2005 as "Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month" in 3 Pennsylvania. B22L82DMS/20050H0145R0908 - 3 -