Full Text of SR0220 100th General Assembly
SR0220 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION
| 2 | | WHEREAS, Approximately one in every 700 babies in the | 3 | | United States is born with Down syndrome,
making Down syndrome | 4 | | the most common chromosomal condition and about 6,000 babies | 5 | | with Down
syndrome are born in the United States each year; and
| 6 | | WHEREAS, The lives of people with Down syndrome have been | 7 | | transformed over the past half century; as recently as the | 8 | | early 1980s, the average life span of those with Down syndrome | 9 | | was 25 years; today, the life expectancy is approximately 60 | 10 | | years; and
| 11 | | WHEREAS, The length and quality of life of those with Down | 12 | | syndrome have been transformed; today, many adults
with Down | 13 | | syndrome live semi-independently or even on their own, leading | 14 | | healthy and productive
lives, complete with jobs, volunteer | 15 | | work, recreational activities, and personal relationships; and | 16 | | WHEREAS, The Adult Down Syndrome Center of Advocate Medical | 17 | | Group at Advocate Lutheran General
was established in 1992 at | 18 | | the request of leaders of the National Association
for Down | 19 | | Syndrome (NADS) who desired a clinic for adults with Down | 20 | | syndrome; the hospital took a
leap of faith and assigned Brian | 21 | | Chicoine, MD, the newest faculty member in the Family Medicine
| 22 | | department, to help launch a practice; and |
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| 1 | | WHEREAS, The Center began a twice-a-month clinic that | 2 | | served less than 100 patients; today, it has
grown into a | 3 | | five-day-a-week primary care practice providing approximately | 4 | | 7,000 patient visits
annually, making it the busiest and most | 5 | | experienced clinic of its kind in the nation, as well as a
| 6 | | leader in research, education, and the dissemination; and | 7 | | WHEREAS, For the past 25 years, the Center has been | 8 | | dedicated to its mission of enhancing the well-being
of | 9 | | adolescents and adults with Down syndrome using a team approach | 10 | | to provide comprehensive,
community-based health care | 11 | | services; it is guided by three principles: 1) health is more | 12 | | than the
absence of disease; it involves physical, mental, and | 13 | | spiritual well-being; 2) individuals with Down
syndrome should | 14 | | become active participants in their health care; and 3) | 15 | | research, health-promoting
education, and the dissemination of | 16 | | research findings and best practices in health promotion will
| 17 | | improve care for people with Down syndrome and foster | 18 | | understanding, acceptance, and inclusion; and
| 19 | | WHEREAS, Dr. Chicoine is supported by a talented staff of | 20 | | medical professionals, including a
physician, registered and | 21 | | licensed dietitian, nurse practitioner, licensed clinical | 22 | | social worker, licensed
occupational therapist, two patient | 23 | | advocates, three certified medical assistants, patient |
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| 1 | | representative,
clinical coordinator, and practice manager; | 2 | | and
| 3 | | WHEREAS, Compared to the general population, adults with | 4 | | Down syndrome experience greater
incidence of congenital heart | 5 | | abnormalities, thyroid problems, obesity, type-1 diabetes, | 6 | | vision problems,
hearing loss, and Alzheimer's disease; they | 7 | | also experience less common conditions such as heart attacks, | 8 | | high blood
pressure, solid cancer tumors, and strokes; the | 9 | | Center's patient database has the potential to be
instrumental | 10 | | in unlocking these mysteries; and | 11 | | WHEREAS, In addition to medical care, the Center's
programs | 12 | | focus on health promotion and psychosocial skills, training to | 13 | | help individuals with Down
syndrome lead healthy and productive | 14 | | lives; the Center disseminates health promotion resources
and | 15 | | research findings through collaborations, publications, and | 16 | | events that communicate the experience and findings of the | 17 | | initiative to people with Down syndrome, their families, and | 18 | | health care professionals; therefore, be it
| 19 | | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL | 20 | | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we declare March 15, | 21 | | 2017 as Adult Down Syndrome Awareness Day in the State of | 22 | | Illinois; and be it further
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| 1 | | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | 2 | | presented to the Adult Down Syndrome Center of
Advocate Medical | 3 | | Group at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital as an expression of | 4 | | our esteem and respect.
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