| 1 | 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 70 |
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| 2 | 2 | | WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to |
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| 3 | 3 | | recognize Kalliope Benitez and to join in efforts to raise |
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| 4 | 4 | | awareness of Battens CLN5 disease; and |
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| 5 | 5 | | WHEREAS, Kalliope Benitez is a spunky and courageous young |
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| 6 | 6 | | citizen who is battling Battens CLN5 disease, a rare inherited |
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| 7 | 7 | | disorder of the nervous system; and |
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| 8 | 8 | | WHEREAS, Like most individuals diagnosed with this |
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| 9 | 9 | | condition, Kalliope developed healthily and flourished |
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| 10 | 10 | | alongside her friends and peers through her preschool years; |
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| 11 | 11 | | soon after beginning kindergarten, she began losing control of |
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| 12 | 12 | | her basic motor functioning, and today, the nine year old |
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| 13 | 13 | | depends on the full-time assistance of caregivers to meet her |
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| 14 | 14 | | day-to-day needs; and |
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| 15 | 15 | | WHEREAS, Battens CLN5 disease is a relatively unknown |
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| 16 | 16 | | condition inherited by the mutations of the CLN5 gene in both |
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| 17 | 17 | | parents, who typically show no symptoms of the disease; symptoms |
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| 18 | 18 | | can begin anytime between childhood and early adulthood, and they |
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| 19 | 19 | | usually appear around the age of five; and |
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| 20 | 20 | | WHEREAS, Research initially indicated that Battens CLN5 |
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| 21 | 21 | | was a disease affecting only the Finnish population, yet further |
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| 22 | 22 | | studies have shown that approximately one in 100,000 individuals |
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| 23 | 23 | | around the world are affected by the disorder; and |
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| 24 | 24 | | WHEREAS, Awareness is key to the knowledge and |
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| 25 | 25 | | understanding of Battens CLN5 disease, and continued research |
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| 26 | 26 | | will help promote positive outcomes for young citizens like |
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| 27 | 27 | | Kalliope Benitez; now, therefore, be it |
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| 28 | 28 | | RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 87th |
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| 29 | 29 | | Legislature, 3rd Called Session, hereby extend sincere best |
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| 30 | 30 | | wishes to Kalliope Benitez and to her family and caregivers and |
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| 31 | 31 | | urge communities across Texas to raise local awareness about |
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| 32 | 32 | | Battens CLN5 disease; and, be it further |
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| 33 | 33 | | RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared in |
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| 34 | 34 | | honor of Kalliope Benitez. |
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| 35 | 35 | | Zaffirini |
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| 36 | 36 | | ________________________________ |
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| 37 | 37 | | President of the Senate |
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| 38 | 38 | | I hereby certify that the |
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| 39 | 39 | | above Resolution was adopted by |
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| 40 | 40 | | the Senate on October 13, 2021. |
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| 41 | 41 | | ________________________________ |
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| 42 | 42 | | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 43 | 43 | | ________________________________ |
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| 44 | 44 | | Member, Texas Senate |
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