ASSEMBLY CONCURRENT RESOLUTION No. 181

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

214th LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 22, 2011

 

 

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman  HERB CONAWAY, JR.

District 7 (Burlington and Camden)

Assemblyman  JACK CONNERS

District 7 (Burlington and Camden)

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Declares May 2011 as "Lupus Awareness Month" in New Jersey.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As introduced.

  

A Concurrent Resolution declaring May 2011 as "Lupus Awareness Month" in New Jersey.

 

Whereas, According to the Mayo Clinic, approximately 1.5 million Americans and 43,000 New Jersey residents suffer from lupus, a chronic inflammatory disease that occurs when your body's immune system attacks your own tissues and organs; and

Whereas, Lupus can affect any part of the body, including the skin, lungs, heart, kidneys, and brain which can result in seizures, strokes, heart attacks, miscarriages, and organ failure; and

Whereas, 90 percent of lupus cases affect women of childbearing age, with African American, Hispanic, and Asian women two to three times more likely than Caucasian women to develop lupus; and

Whereas, More than half of all people with lupus visit three or more doctors and take four or more years before being correctly diagnosed due to a wide range of symptoms that change in severity, and are easily confused with many common illnesses; and

Whereas, There have been no new drugs approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration specifically for lupus in 52 years, and many current treatments have damaging side effects; and

Whereas, Lupus is an incurable disease with direct annual medical costs of $12,643 per patient for treatment and $8,659 in lost productivity for the life of the patient; and

Whereas, The Lupus Foundation of America designates May of each year as National Lupus Awareness Month to show support for the estimated 1.5 million Americans who have lupus and increase awareness among the estimated 80% of the country that knows little or nothing about the disease; now, therefore,

 

     Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey (the Senate concurring):

 

     1. The Legislature hereby declares May 2011 as "Lupus Awareness Month" in the State of New Jersey in order to raise public awareness about lupus and draw public attention to the fact that increased funding for research and educational programs may lead to improved treatment of lupus and better quality of life for those currently suffering from lupus.

 

     2. The Governor is requested to issue a proclamation calling upon public officials and the citizens of the State of New Jersey to observe "Lupus Awareness Month" by educating themselves on the symptoms and impact of lupus, and to join the New Jersey and Philadelphia Tri-State Chapters of the Lupus Foundation of America in supporting programs of lupus research, education, and community service.

     3.    A duly authenticated copy of this concurrent resolution signed by the Speaker of the General Assembly and the President of the Senate and attested by the Clerk of the General Assembly and the Secretary of the Senate, shall be transmitted to the New Jersey and the Philadelphia Tri-State Chapters of the Lupus Foundation of America.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

     This concurrent resolution declares May 2011 "Lupus Awareness Month" in the State of New Jersey in order to raise public awareness about lupus. 

     Lupus is an autoimmune disease that causes the body to attack itself.  It can impact every organ in the body and has an economic impact of over $20,000 per year per patient in lost income and health care expenses.  Women of childbearing age, especially African American, Hispanic, and Asian women are far more likely to develop lupus than Caucasian women.  The Lupus Foundation of America sponsors May of each year as "Lupus Awareness Month" in an effort to gather support that may lead to improved educational programs and lupus treatments so that those who suffer from lupus can improve the quality of their lives.