SLS 17RS-1545 ORIGINAL
2017 Regular Session
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 124
BY SENATOR BISHOP
SENATE. Recognizes May 2017 as Lupus Awareness Month in Louisiana.
1 A RESOLUTION
2 To recognize May 2017 as Lupus Awareness Month in Louisiana.
3 WHEREAS, research indicates that nearly two-thirds of the public know little or
4 nothing about this disease and the designation of May 2017 as Lupus Awareness Month is
5 intended to bring this disease to the attention of a wider audience; and
6 WHEREAS, lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease that can damage any part of the
7 body, often the skin, joints, and organs, yet few are even aware of the existence of such a
8 condition and its possible symptoms; and
9 WHEREAS, lupus is more pervasive and severe than most Americans realize and it
10 has a devastating impact that the public does not generally realize; and
11 WHEREAS, lupus is difficult to diagnose, a challenge to treat and there currently is
12 no cure for this debilitating condition; and
13 WHEREAS, this disease affects people of all nationalities, races, genders, and ages,
14 which makes informing people of lupus and its affects more important because everyone is
15 at risk; and
16 WHEREAS, no two cases of lupus are exactly alike, partly because signs and
17 symptoms may come on suddenly or develop slowly, may be mild or severe, and may be
18 temporary or permanent; and
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SLS 17RS-1545 ORIGINAL
1 WHEREAS, most people with lupus have mild disease characterized by episodes,
2 called flares, when signs and symptoms are worse for a time and then improve, or even
3 disappear completely for a time; and
4 WHEREAS, the signs and symptoms of lupus depend upon which body systems are
5 affected by this disease and the most common signs are fatigue and fever; joint pain,
6 stiffness, and swelling; a butterfly-shaped rash on the face that covers the cheeks and the
7 bridge of the nose; skin lesions that are sensitive to sun exposure; fingers and toes that turn
8 white or blue when exposed to cold or stress; shortness of breath; chest pain; dry eyes; and
9 headaches, confusion, and memory loss; and
10 WHEREAS, the World Lupus Foundation has made a global call-to-action on behalf
11 of the millions of people affected by lupus worldwide to better disseminate information
12 about this unpredictable, but devastating disease; and
13 WHEREAS, the ravaging results of lupus, particularly because it is difficult to
14 diagnose and has numerous symptoms, can destroy the normal lives of both its victims and
15 their families; and
16 WHEREAS, the designation of May 2017 Lupus Awareness in Louisiana is an effort
17 to more widely disseminate information about symptoms, hoping to bring people affected
18 to seek treatment at the earliest possible moment or to recognize the symptoms in those with
19 whom they frequently come into contact, in order that they can seek treatment.
20 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
21 does hereby recognize May 2017 as Lupus Awareness Month in Louisiana.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Mary Dozier O'Brien.
DIGEST
SR 124 Original 2017 Regular Session Bishop
Recognizes May 2017 as Lupus Awareness Month in Louisiana.
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