PRINTER'S NO. 1748
No. 234 Session of 2008
INTRODUCED BY WONDERLING, BAKER, FERLO, MADIGAN, FONTANA,
WASHINGTON, TARTAGLIONE, O'PAKE, PIPPY, RAFFERTY,
C. WILLIAMS, WOZNIAK, BOSCOLA, TOMLINSON, STOUT, McILHINNEY,
MELLOW, ARMSTRONG, FOLMER, ERICKSON, ORIE, KASUNIC, LAVALLE,
EARLL, ROBBINS, PILEGGI, GREENLEAF, COSTA, FUMO, DINNIMAN AND
A. WILLIAMS, FEBRUARY 8, 2008
REFERRED TO RULES AND EXECUTIVE NOMINATIONS, FEBRUARY 8, 2008
A RESOLUTION
1 Designating March 6, 2008, as "Lymphedema D-Day" in
2 Pennsylvania.
3 WHEREAS, Lymphedema is an accumulation of lymphatic fluid
4 that causes swelling in the arms, legs or other areas of the
5 body and affects both men and women; and
6 WHEREAS, The swelling caused by lymphedema can lead to severe
7 infection or loss of the use of limbs, and patients suffering
8 from lymphedemas must endure physical discomfort and
9 disfigurement and cope with the distress caused by these
10 symptoms; and
11 WHEREAS, The single largest group of people who get
12 lymphedema are cancer patients, including breast, prostate,
13 gynecological, head, neck, lung, sarcoma and melanoma patients;
14 and
15 WHEREAS, Recent studies have indicated that 20% of breast
16 cancer patients will get lymphedema after surgery and radiation;
1 and
2 WHEREAS, According to the National Cancer Institute, there
3 are a reported 8.5 million Americans living after a diagnosis of
4 cancer, of which about 2 million are breast cancer survivors;
5 and
6 WHEREAS, No drug or effective surgical treatment for
7 lymphedema currently exists; and
8 WHEREAS, Research in all areas of lymphedema has been notably
9 limited; and
10 WHEREAS, Lymphedema, which has no cure and can occur anytime,
11 has a severe financial, physical and psychological impact on
12 patients; and
13 WHEREAS, Each year on March 6, the National Lymphedema
14 Network sponsors "Lymphedema D-Day" to honor patients and to
15 raise awareness of the treatment and severity of this condition;
16 therefore be it
17 RESOLVED, That the Senate designate March 6, 2008, as
18 "Lymphedema D-Day" in Pennsylvania; and be it further
19 RESOLVED, That the Senate encourage the citizens of this
20 Commonwealth to honor and support the courageous patients living
21 and coping with this debilitating condition.
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