| |
| |
|
|
R E S O L U T I O N
|
|
|
WHEREAS, Cystic fibrosis, commonly referred to as CF, is a |
|
|
genetic disorder that affects an estimated 30,000 Americans; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, A progressive and life-threatening disease, CF |
|
|
impairs the function of the body's respiratory and digestive |
|
|
systems; in the United States, approximately 1,000 new cases are |
|
|
diagnosed each year, and more than 75 percent of patients with CF |
|
|
are diagnosed before the age of two; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, While CF remains a serious health concern around the |
|
|
globe, there have been significant gains in treatment; today, the |
|
|
median predicted survival age for persons with the disease is close |
|
|
to 40 years, a dramatic improvement since the 1950s, when children |
|
|
with CF rarely lived to attend elementary school; as a result of the |
|
|
medical advances, the number of adults living with the disease has |
|
|
steadily grown; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Early diagnosis and treatment of CF can greatly |
|
|
enhance the quality of life and longevity of patients; in addition |
|
|
to employing a daily regimen of home care, patients can benefit from |
|
|
antibiotics and other innovative treatments that can help |
|
|
considerably in managing their symptoms; moreover, Texas is home to |
|
|
a number of world-class centers that specialize in the diagnosis of |
|
|
CF and the care of persons living with the disease; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Public awareness is crucial to enabling more |
|
|
patients with CF to live longer, healthier lives, and Cystic |
|
|
Fibrosis Awareness Month in May provides an opportune time to |
|
|
promote education about the disease and to encourage support for |
|
|
additional research; now, therefore, be it |
|
|
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas |
|
|
Legislature hereby recognize May 2019 as Cystic Fibrosis Awareness |
|
|
Month and urge Texans to learn more about CF and to get involved in |
|
|
the effort to find a cure for this devastating disease. |