87R13036 TBO-D
By: Price H.R. No. 1500
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, September is Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month,
and this occasion provides a fitting opportunity to promote better
understanding of this health issue and to foster increased support
for targeted research; and
WHEREAS, "Pulmonary fibrosis" is a term used to describe more
than 200 different diseases that involve scar tissue in the lungs;
as the scarring destroys the normal lung tissue, it becomes more
difficult for oxygen to enter the bloodstream, and this leads to
symptoms such as shortness of breath, coughing, loss of appetite,
and fatigue and weakness; and
WHEREAS, Multiple causes of the scarring have been
identified, including some medications, radiation, environmental
triggers, autoimmune diseases, and exposure to harmful inorganic
dusts; in cases where a cause cannot be determined, patients are
diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis; researchers estimate
that, in the United States, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis affects 1
out of every 200 adults over the age of 60, and as many as 40,000
Americans die from the disease each year; and
WHEREAS, While there is not yet a cure for pulmonary
fibrosis, a number of treatments are available to help alleviate
symptoms and slow the progression of the disease; depending on each
patient's unique experience with the condition, doctors may
recommend medications, oxygen therapy, exercise, and in rare
circumstances, lung transplantation; and
WHEREAS, Pulmonary fibrosis is a serious and
life-threatening disease, and the observance of Pulmonary Fibrosis
Awareness Month unites people around the world in their commitment
to support the search for a cure and improve the quality of life for
patients; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas
Legislature hereby recognize September 2022 as Pulmonary Fibrosis
Awareness Month and urge all Texans to learn more about the disease.