SR0576

LRB096 15269 KXB 32091 r





  
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SENATE RESOLUTION

  
 
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    WHEREAS, Jasper Rylan Sherman was born on September 1, 2005 
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and passed away on February 25, 2009 after waging a courageous 
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battle against Mitochondrial Disease; Jasper's memory lives on 
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in the minds and hearts of his loving family and friends who 
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remain committed to educating the public about Mitochondrial 
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Disease with the hope of one day finding a cure; and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, Mitochondria are the power plants in every cell of 
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a person's body and create more than 90% of the energy needed 
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by the body to sustain life and support growth; mitochondria 
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may not function correctly due to genetic defects, damage 
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caused by drugs, or damage caused by destructive molecules 
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called free radicals; and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, When mitochondria fail, cell injury and cell death 
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follow, and if the process is repeated throughout the body, 
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whole systems begin to  fail; and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, Mitochondrial diseases can cause isolated 
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symptoms like seizures, low blood counts, blindness, deafness, 
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dementia, heart failure, and progressive muscle weakness, but 
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more often they cause failure of several organ systems in 
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sequence; and
  
 
 


 






SR0576
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LRB096 15269 KXB 32091 r




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    WHEREAS, Mitochondrial diseases can affect any person at 
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any age; it is estimated that more than one in 4,000 children 
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born in the United States each year will develop a 
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mitochondrial disease by 10 years of age; and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, Since mitochondrial disorders mimic other 
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diseases, it is believed that they are under-diagnosed; and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, Currently no cures or effective therapies exist, 
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but early diagnosis can help patients and their families use 
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proper medication and nutritional supplements to improve the 
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quality of life, and even prolong life; and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, It is appropriate that all citizens of the State 
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of Illinois be better informed about mitochondrial diseases and 
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their impact; therefore, be it
  
 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL 
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ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we designate the third 
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full week of September in each year as Mitochondrial Disease 
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Awareness Week in the State of Illinois, and the citizens of 
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the State of Illinois are urged to observe the week with 
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appropriate activities and programs.