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 cells, responsible for creating more than 90 percent of
8the energy needed by the body to sustain life and support growth,
9fail to carry out their primary functions; and
10WHEREAS, When mitochondria fail, less and less energy is
11generated within the cell; and
P2 1WHEREAS, If this process is repeated throughout the body,
2whole systems begin to fail, and the life of the person in whom
3this is happening is severely compromised; and
4WHEREAS, The disease primarily affects children; and
5WHEREAS, Diseases of the mitochondria appear to cause the
6most damage to cells of the brain, heart, liver, skeletal muscles,
7kidneys, and the endocrine and respiratory systems; and
8WHEREAS, Common symptoms include muscle weakness and
9pain, gastrointestinal disorders, poor growth, cardiac disease, liver
10disease, diabetes, respiratory problems, seizures, visual and hearing
11problems, and susceptibility to infection; and
12WHEREAS, Because so little is known about the disease, there
13are only a few hospitals in the world that offer treatment, causing
14affected families to travel regularly or even relocate to receive
15treatment; and
16WHEREAS, Mitochondrial disease is progressive, likely
17terminal, and requires a high level of care and extremely expensive
18medical treatment that often exceeds covered insurance benefits,
19creating great financial burdens on affected families; and
20WHEREAS, The third week of September is observed globally
21as Mitochondrial Disease Awareness Week; now, therefore, be it
22Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly
23thereof concurring, That the Legislature does hereby proclaim the
24third week of September 2014, and the third week ofbegin insert Septemberend insert
25 each subsequent year, as Mitochondrial Disease Awareness Week;
26and be it further
27Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of
28this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.
O
97