SCR 104, as introduced, Huff. Mitochondrial Disease Awareness Week.
This measure would declare the third week of September 2014, and the third week of September in each subsequent year, as Mitochondrial Disease Awareness Week.
Fiscal committee: no.
P1 1WHEREAS, Few people know of mitochondrial disease, yet
2every 30 minutes a child is born who will develop this disease by
310 years of age; and
4WHEREAS, There is no cure for mitochondrial disease; and
5WHEREAS, Mitochondrial disease is often misdiagnosed; and
6WHEREAS, Mitochondrial disease occurs when mitochondria
7inside of cells fail to carry out their primary functions; and
8WHEREAS, When mitochondria fail, less and less energy is
9generated within the cell; and
10WHEREAS, If this process is repeated throughout the body,
11whole systems begin to fail, and the life of the person in whom
12this is happening is severely compromised; and
13WHEREAS, The disease primarily affects children; and
14WHEREAS, Diseases of the mitochondria appear to cause the
15most damage to cells of the brain, heart, liver, skeletal muscles,
16kidneys, and the endocrine and respiratory systems; and
P2 1WHEREAS, Common symptoms include muscle weakness and
2pain, gastrointestinal disorders, poor growth, cardiac disease, liver
3disease, diabetes, respiratory problems, seizures, visual and hearing
4problems, and susceptibility to infection; and
5WHEREAS, Because so little is known about the disease, there
6are only a few hospitals in the world that offer treatment, causing
7affected families to travel regularly or even relocate to receive
8treatment; and
9WHEREAS, Mitochondrial disease is progressive, likely
10terminal, and requires a high level of care and extremely expensive
11medical treatment that often exceeds covered insurance benefits,
12creating great financial burdens on affected families; and
13WHEREAS, The third week of September is observed globally
14as Mitochondrial Disease Awareness Week; now, therefore, be it
15Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly
16thereof concurring, That the Legislature does hereby proclaim the
17third week of September 2014, and the third week of each
18subsequent year, as Mitochondrial Disease Awareness Week; and
19be it further
20Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of
21this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.
O
99