SCR 104, Huff. Mitochondrial Disease Awareness Week.
This measure would declare the 3rd week of September 2014, and the 3rd week of September in each subsequent year, as Mitochondrial Disease Awareness Week.
WHEREAS, Few people know of mitochondrial disease, yet every 30 minutes a child is born who will develop this disease by 10 years of age; and
WHEREAS, There is no cure for mitochondrial disease; and
WHEREAS, Mitochondrial disease is often misdiagnosed; and
WHEREAS, Mitochondrial disease occurs when mitochondria inside of cells, responsible for creating more than 90 percent of the energy needed by the body to sustain life and support growth, fail to carry out their primary functions; and
WHEREAS, When mitochondria fail, less and less energy is generated within the cell; and
WHEREAS, If this process is repeated throughout the body, whole systems begin to fail, and the life of the person in whom this is happening is severely compromised; and
WHEREAS, The disease primarily affects children; and
WHEREAS, Diseases of the mitochondria appear to cause the most damage to cells of the brain, heart, liver, skeletal muscles, kidneys, and the endocrine and respiratory systems; and
WHEREAS, Common symptoms include muscle weakness and pain, gastrointestinal disorders, poor growth, cardiac disease, liver disease, diabetes, respiratory problems, seizures, visual and hearing problems, and susceptibility to infection; and
WHEREAS, Because so little is known about the disease, there are only a few hospitals in the world that offer treatment, causing affected families to travel regularly or even relocate to receive treatment; and
WHEREAS, Mitochondrial disease is progressive, likely terminal, and requires a high level of care and extremely expensive medical treatment that often exceeds covered insurance benefits, creating great financial burdens on affected families; and
WHEREAS, The third week of September is observed globally as Mitochondrial Disease Awareness Week; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly thereof concurring, That the Legislature does hereby proclaim the third week of September 2014, and the third week of September each subsequent year, as Mitochondrial Disease Awareness Week; and be it further
Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.
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