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1
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, Cystic fibrosis, commonly referred to as "CF", is
3a genetic disease affecting approximately 30,000 children and
4adults in the United States and nearly 70,000 children and
5adults worldwide, 1,047 of whom live in Illinois; and
 
6    WHEREAS, A defective gene causes the body to produce an
7abnormally thick, sticky mucus that clogs the lungs; these
8secretions produce life-threatening lung infections and
9obstruct the pancreas, preventing digestive enzymes from
10reaching the intestines to help break down and absorb food; and
 
11    WHEREAS, More than 10 million Americans are symptomless
12carriers of the defective cystic fibrosis gene; cystic fibrosis
13occurs in approximately one of every 3,500 live births in the
14United States; and
 
15    WHEREAS, The median age of survival for a person with
16cystic fibrosis is 41.1 years; and
 
17    WHEREAS, With advances in the treatment of cystic fibrosis,
18the number of adults with cystic fibrosis has steadily grown,
19and approximately 1,000 new cases of cystic fibrosis are
20diagnosed each year; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Nearly 50% of the cystic fibrosis population is 18
2years of age and older; people with cystic fibrosis have a
3variety of symptoms attributed to the more than 1,800 mutations
4of the cystic fibrosis gene; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Infant blood screening to detect genetic defects
6is the most reliable and least costly method to identify
7persons likely to have cystic fibrosis; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Early diagnosis of cystic fibrosis permits early
9treatment and enhances quality of life and longevity; the
10treatment of cystic fibrosis depends on the stage of the
11disease and the organs involved; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Clearing mucus from the lungs is an important part
13of the daily cystic fibrosis treatment regimen; other types of
14treatments include inhaled antibiotics and pancreatic enzymes,
15among others; and
 
16    WHEREAS, There are 15 world-class treatment centers in
17Illinois that specialize in the diagnosis of cystic fibrosis
18and the care of persons with cystic fibrosis; and
 
19    WHEREAS, A critical component of treating patients with
20cystic fibrosis includes access to innovative treatments,
21which can play a crucial role in the lives of patients with

 

 

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1cystic fibrosis; and
 
2    WHEREAS, Improving the length and quality of life for
3people with cystic fibrosis starts with awareness; therefore,
4be it
 
5    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL
6ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
7CONCURRING HEREIN, that we designate the month of May of 2017
8as Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month in the State of Illinois.