By Naishtat                                            H.R. No. 770
       74R12128 PAN-D
                                  R E S O L U T I O N
    1-1        WHEREAS, Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS) is a devastating birth
    1-2  defect in which the brain does not recognize hunger and appetite
    1-3  normally, and, if left undiagnosed or unmanaged, persons with the
    1-4  syndrome often die in their teens or early 20s from kidney or
    1-5  pulmonary complications that stem from their morbid obesity; and
    1-6        WHEREAS, A complex genetic disorder that was first identified
    1-7  in 1956, the syndrome is characterized by short stature, mental
    1-8  retardation, learning disabilities, incomplete sexual development,
    1-9  characteristic behavior problems, low muscle tone, and an
   1-10  involuntary urge to eat constantly that, when coupled with a
   1-11  reduced need for calories, leads to obesity; and
   1-12        WHEREAS, In 1990, about one in 10,000 people in the United
   1-13  States and more than 900 Texans were estimated to have PWS; the
   1-14  catastrophic disorder is one of the most common conditions seen in
   1-15  genetic clinics in the nation today and is the most common genetic
   1-16  cause of obesity that has been identified to date; and
   1-17        WHEREAS, The Prader-Willi Syndrome Association U.S.A. was
   1-18  organized in 1975 to heighten public awareness of PWS, to provide
   1-19  lifetime advocacy for affected individuals, to identify and develop
   1-20  services that meet the needs of those individuals and their
   1-21  families, and to increase research efforts to gain a greater
   1-22  understanding of this tragic syndrome; and
   1-23        WHEREAS, Early diagnosis of PWS within the first year of life
   1-24  is growing more common as a result of increased awareness by
    2-1  physicians, improved genetic testing, and development of clear
    2-2  diagnostic criteria; though there is no known cure for PWS,
    2-3  diagnosis of the syndrome during infancy gives parents an
    2-4  opportunity to manage their child's diet, thereby avoiding obesity
    2-5  and its related problems, to obtain early intervention services,
    2-6  and to obtain critical information and support from professionals
    2-7  and other families whose lives have been forever altered by a
    2-8  diagnosis of PWS; and
    2-9        WHEREAS, To this end, the national organization has founded
   2-10  chapters encompassing 32 states and has set aside one day each year
   2-11  on which to launch programs and other activities designed to
   2-12  further the worthy goals of the organization; at this time, the
   2-13  members of this chamber wish to join with the Prader-Willi Syndrome
   2-14  Association U.S.A. in their efforts to heighten public awareness of
   2-15  this devastating disorder; now, therefore, be it
   2-16        RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 74th Texas
   2-17  Legislature hereby recognize May 2, 1995, as Prader-Willi Syndrome
   2-18  Awareness Day in Texas and encourage all residents of the Lone Star
   2-19  State to take a moment on this day to learn more about PWS and the
   2-20  ways in which they can help affected individuals achieve a higher
   2-21  quality of life.