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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, Epilepsy, a
chronic disorder that is 
3characterized by unprovoked and recurring seizures, is the 
4fourth most common neurological disorder and affects people of 
5all
ages; and
  
 
6    WHEREAS, Approximately one in 26 people will develop 
7epilepsy at some point in their life; according to an August 
82017 study from the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, 
9at least 3.4 million people in the U.S. live with seizures, 
10including 470,000 children; and
  
 
11    WHEREAS, The cause of epilepsy is unknown in half of those 
12who will develop the disease; genetic testing, which could help 
13identify the cause of epilepsy in some cases, is
not yet 
14available for many types of epilepsy; and
  
 
15    WHEREAS, Despite its
prevalence, epilepsy is one of the 
16least understood major, chronic medical conditions; and
 
17    WHEREAS, More people have epilepsy than cerebral palsy, 
18multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson's
disease combined; epilepsy 
19most commonly affects the very young and very old; and
 
20    WHEREAS, The mortality rate of those with epilepsy is up to 
 
 
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1three times higher than the rate of
the general population; and
 
2    WHEREAS, Epilepsy has a strong association with 
3depression; more than one of every three
persons with epilepsy 
4will develop a mood disorder; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Thirty to 40% of those with epilepsy have seizures 
6that will not respond to
treatment or have medication that does 
7not work well enough; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Epilepsy costs the nation $15.5 billion dollars in 
9health care costs and losses in
employment, wages, and 
10productivity; therefore, be it
 


  
11    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE 
12HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 
13we recognize November as being National Epilepsy Awareness 
14Month and urge all to be aware of and become better educated 
15about epilepsy.