SCR 104, as amended, 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 cellsbegin insert, responsible for creating more than 90 percent of
8the energy needed by the body to sustain life and support growth,end insert
9 fail to carry out their primary functions; and
10WHEREAS, When mitochondria fail, less and less energy is
11generated within the cell; and
12WHEREAS, If this process is repeated throughout the body,
13whole systems begin to fail, and the life of the person in whom
14this is happening is severely compromised; and
P2 1WHEREAS, The disease primarily affects children; and
2WHEREAS, Diseases of the mitochondria appear to cause the
3most damage to cells of the brain, heart, liver, skeletal muscles,
4kidneys, and the endocrine and respiratory systems; and
5WHEREAS, Common symptoms include muscle weakness and
6pain, gastrointestinal disorders, poor growth, cardiac disease, liver
7disease, diabetes, respiratory problems, seizures, visual and hearing
8problems, and susceptibility to infection; and
9WHEREAS, Because so little is known about the disease, there
10are only a few hospitals in the world that offer treatment, causing
11affected families to travel regularly or even relocate to receive
12treatment; and
13WHEREAS, Mitochondrial disease is progressive, likely
14terminal, and requires a high level of care and extremely expensive
15medical treatment that often exceeds covered insurance benefits,
16creating great financial burdens on affected families; and
17WHEREAS, The third week of September is observed globally
18as Mitochondrial Disease Awareness Week; now, therefore, be it
19Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly
20thereof concurring, That the Legislature does hereby proclaim the
21third week of September 2014, and the third week of each
22subsequent year, as Mitochondrial Disease Awareness Week; and
23be it further
24Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of
25this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.
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