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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Dr. Julie A. Boom, an associate professor at Baylor |
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College of Medicine in Houston, has been named the 2014 Childhood |
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Immunization Champion for Texas by the Centers for Disease Control |
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and Prevention; and |
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WHEREAS, This prestigious award, presented each year during |
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National Infant Immunization Week, recognizes individuals across |
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the United States and its territories who have worked to protect the |
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health and safety of children by ensuring that vaccination is a |
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priority; after first being nominated for the honor by her peers, |
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Dr. Boom was chosen by health care professionals, community |
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supporters, and other immunization leaders for her contributions to |
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public health in Texas; and |
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WHEREAS, This noted physician and health advocate was |
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motivated by an experience she had during her medical residency, |
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when she treated a three-year-old girl who ultimately died from |
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meningitis; since that time, she has focused on promoting |
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immunization and developing improved immunization technologies and |
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practices; and |
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WHEREAS, A leader in her field, Dr. Boom has directed a |
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number of collaborative, multisite research projects into vaccine |
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prevalence and effectiveness, vaccine beliefs of parents, and other |
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topics of import, with her projects including a rotavirus vaccine |
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study that resulted in changes to domestic and global |
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recommendations on the use of the vaccine; she additionally led the |
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development of an automated scheduling application that forecasts |
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each child's vaccination needs, a tool that is now used in two |
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states and by the Indian Health Service; and |
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WHEREAS, In her practice as an attending physician at Texas |
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Children's Hospital, Dr. Boom immunizes hundreds of children each |
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year, and she advises medical residents on how to communicate with |
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parents, particularly those with concerns about vaccination; she |
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has testified in support of major immunization legislation, and to |
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further reassure parents about the importance of vaccination, she |
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helped create Vaccine-Preventable Disease: The Forgotten Story, a |
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book recounting the real-life experiences of 20 families; |
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nationwide, more than 130,000 copies of the book have been |
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distributed, and a related short documentary, Facing Meningitis, |
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has been produced and made available online; and |
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WHEREAS, Through her work in the areas of education and |
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research, Dr. Julie Boom has performed a public service with |
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lifesaving implications for countless young Texans, and her |
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leadership and dedication to the cause of children's health are |
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truly commendable; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate Dr. Julie A. Boom on her selection |
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as a 2014 Childhood Immunization Champion and extend to her sincere |
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appreciation for her many years of service to others; and, be it |
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further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Dr. Boom as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |