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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Each year, more than 75,000 people across the |
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country support the National Kidney Foundation by participating in |
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its Kidney Walk, and many Austinites are taking part in this |
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noteworthy event on May 21, 2011; and |
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WHEREAS, The national walk raises over $7 million annually in |
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behalf of the Kidney Foundation and its initiatives; in addition to |
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public awareness campaigns and free community health screenings and |
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risk factor assessments, the organization provides millions of |
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dollars for clinical research; it also promotes organ donation and |
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advocates for public policies that benefit kidney patients, |
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transplant recipients, organ donors, and their families; and |
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WHEREAS, More than 26 million Americans have chronic kidney |
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disease, and most are not even aware of their condition; because |
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symptoms may not appear until the kidneys are failing, millions of |
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people with kidney damage are not taking the necessary steps to |
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protect their health; approximately 88,000 people in the United |
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States have suffered such severe kidney damage that they are on the |
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waiting list for a kidney transplant, while nearly 400,000 depend |
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on dialysis to stay alive; and |
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WHEREAS, Through early detection and proper treatment, |
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patients can slow the progress of kidney disease; the leading risk |
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factors include high blood pressure, diabetes, and a family history |
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of kidney disease, and African Americans, Latinos, Asians, Native |
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Americans, and the elderly are at an increased risk; and |
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WHEREAS, The Austin Kidney Walk presents an ideal opportunity |
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for citizens to raise awareness of an all-too-common disease while |
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supporting an organization that contributes to the health and |
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well-being of countless Texans; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas |
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Legislature hereby recognize the 2011 Austin Kidney Walk and extend |
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to all those participating sincere best wishes for a successful |
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event. |