2019 Regular Session ENROLLED
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 95
BY SENATOR LONG AND REPRESENTATI VE CHANEY
A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
To designate June 2019 as "Nephrotic Awareness Month" in Louisiana, and to commend
NephCure for their continued efforts in finding treatments and a cure for diseases
and conditions of the kidney.
WHEREAS, one in ten Americans has some form of sustained loss of kidney
function, the disparate forms of this condition are listed together in the term "chronic kidney
disease" (CKD); and
WHEREAS, according to the National Institutes of Health more than six hundred
sixty thousand Americans have kidney failure; it is estimated that one in seven people have
CKD and many of those are unaware of their condition; and
WHEREAS, Nephrotic Syndrome (NS) is an umbrella term representing several rare
glomeruli (the blood filters within the kidney) kidney diseases and syndromes; and
WHEREAS, included in the umbrella term are focal segmental glomerulosclerosis
sclerosis (FSGS), minimal change disease, IgA nephropathy (IgAnephropathy-a disease
caused by the IgA antibody forming clumps in the glomeruli), membranous Nephropathy,
and others; and
WHEREAS, IgAN is characterized as an autoimmune kidney disease, meaning that
the disease is due to the body's own immune system attacking tissues in the kidney and IgA
nephropathy (also called "Berger's disease") is the most common of these NS diseases; and
WHEREAS, the kidneys are the organs that filter blood within the body and nearly
one hundred thousand people are diagnosed with NS; and
WHEREAS, half of those diagnosed with NS are children and five thousand new
cases are diagnosed each year; and
WHEREAS, it is estimated that half of all people nearing kidney failure are not
aware that they have the beginning stages of such failure; and
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WHEREAS, NephCure, an organization founded in 1999, offers resources that make
a difference in the lives of patients and families dealing with chronic kidney failure by
connecting patients, collaborating with experts, catalyzing research, and becoming involved
in governmental advocacy to work toward treatments and cures to these widespread and
deadly diseases; and
WHEREAS, NephCure established the first clinical care network model in the field
of nephrology and organizes efforts to engage all current and newly diagnosed NS patients,
sharing the names of expert nephrologists and clinical trials available; and
WHEREAS, today NephCure is an international organization that includes
physicians, researchers, advocates, and industry professionals, all committed to supporting
research for better treatments and, ultimately, a cure for nephrotic syndrome.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
designate June 2019 as "Nephrotic Awareness Month" in Louisiana and commend NephCure
for their continuing efforts in the battle against kidney-related conditions and diseases.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to
Donna Phenald, Coordinator, Community Fundraising for NephCure.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
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