PRINTER'S NO. 4496
No. 924 Session of 2008
INTRODUCED BY DePASQUALE, BAKER, BEAR, BENNINGTON, BEYER, BISHOP, BOBACK, BRENNAN, CALTAGIRONE, CAUSER, CLYMER, COHEN, CONKLIN, DALEY, DeLUCA, DiGIROLAMO, DONATUCCI, FLECK, FRANKEL, GEORGE, GIBBONS, GINGRICH, GOODMAN, GRUCELA, HARHART, HELM, HENNESSEY, HERSHEY, HESS, HORNAMAN, JAMES, KENNEY, KORTZ, MAHONEY, MAJOR, MANTZ, MARSICO, McCALL, McGEEHAN, MELIO, MILLARD, R. MILLER, MOYER, MUSTIO, MYERS, NAILOR, PALLONE, PARKER, PAYNE, PHILLIPS, QUINN, RAMALEY, RAPP, READSHAW, REICHLEY, ROCK, ROHRER, ROSS, SAINATO, SANTONI, SAYLOR, SCAVELLO, SIPTROTH, SOLOBAY, STABACK, SWANGER, TRUE, VULAKOVICH, WATERS, WOJNAROSKI, YOUNGBLOOD, GILLESPIE, MURT, CREIGHTON, BENNINGHOFF AND WALKO, OCTOBER 6, 2008
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35, OCTOBER 6, 2008
A RESOLUTION 1 Designating the month of November 2008 as "Hydrocephalus 2 Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania. 3 WHEREAS, Hydrocephalus is a serious neurological condition, 4 characterized by the abnormal buildup of cerebrospinal fluids in 5 the ventricles of the brain; and 6 WHEREAS, There is no known cure for hydrocephalus, which 7 affects an estimated one million Americans; and 8 WHEREAS, Out of every 1,000 babies, one to two are born with 9 hydrocephalus; and 10 WHEREAS, More than 375,000 older Americans have 11 hydrocephalus, which often goes undetected or misdiagnosed as 12 dementia, Alzheimer's disease or Parkinson's disease; and
1 WHEREAS, With appropriate diagnosis and treatment, people 2 with hydrocephalus are able to live full and productive lives; 3 and 4 WHEREAS, The standard treatment for hydrocephalus was 5 developed in 1952 and carries multiple risks, including shunt 6 failure, infection and over drainage; and 7 WHEREAS, There are fewer than ten centers in the United 8 States specializing in the treatment of adults with normal 9 pressure hydrocephalus; and 10 WHEREAS, Each year, the people of the United States spend in 11 excess of $1 billion to treat hydrocephalus; and 12 WHEREAS, A September 2005 conference sponsored by seven 13 institutes of the National Institutes of Health and entitled 14 "Hydrocephalus: Myths, New Facts, Clear Directions" resulted in 15 efforts to initiate new, collaborative research and treatment 16 efforts; and 17 WHEREAS, The Hydrocephalus Association is one of the nation's 18 oldest and largest patient and research advocacy and support 19 networks for individuals suffering from hydrocephalus; and 20 WHEREAS, Further research into the epidemiology, 21 pathophysiology, disease burden and improved treatment of 22 hydrocephalus is needed; therefore be it 23 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate the 24 month of November 2008 as "Hydrocephalus Awareness Month" in 25 Pennsylvania so that Pennsylvanians can become more familiar 26 with hydrocephalus and the individuals dedicated to finding its 27 cure. J3L82JAM/20080H0924R4496 - 2 -