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HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, Sickle cell disease is a hereditary genetic mutation |
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that causes the body to produce red blood cells with an abnormal |
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crescent shape, resulting in impeded blood flow and a shortage of |
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healthy red blood cells; and |
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WHEREAS, According to the United States Centers for Disease |
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Control and Prevention, sickle cell disease affects approximately |
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100,000 Americans; the condition is far more common among black or |
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African Americans, occurring in about 1 out of every 365 |
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individuals, and the sickle cell trait is present in 1 in every 13 |
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black or African American infants at birth; around 1 in every 16,300 |
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Hispanic American newborns also suffers from the condition; and |
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WHEREAS, Although most Americans with the sickle cell trait |
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live normal lives with few complications, sickle cell disease can |
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potentially lead to anemia, infections, chronic pain, deep vein |
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thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, and stroke; because severe cases |
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can be life-threatening, it is imperative that affected individuals |
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have ready access to comprehensive medical care; sadly, inadequate |
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infrastructure and socioeconomic factors are responsible for |
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considerable disparities in health outcomes for sickle cell |
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patients; and |
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WHEREAS, The Sickle Cell Anemia Control Act, which was signed |
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into law by President Richard Nixon in 1972, aimed to "reverse the |
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record of neglect of the dreaded disease" by increasing funding for |
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sickle cell disease-related programs; National Sickle Cell Anemia |
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Awareness Month was officially recognized by the federal government |
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under the administration of President Ronald Reagan in 1983, and |
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additional legislative acts focused on advancing the treatment, |
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detection, and study of the disease were passed in 2003 and 2018; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, At this time, there is still no widely available or |
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universal cure for sickle cell disease, but researchers are |
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currently working to identify new treatments; greater public |
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support remains an important tool in the fight against this |
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debilitating disorder, and Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month in |
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September serves as an opportunity to unite Texans around the goal |
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of ensuring that all people with the condition are afforded the care |
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that they need; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 86th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby designate September as Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month; |
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and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That in accordance with the provisions of Section |
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391.004(d), Government Code, this designation remain in effect |
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until the 10th anniversary of the date this resolution is finally |
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passed by the legislature. |
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* * * * * |