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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, Each year, the Lupus Society of Illinois 
3designates May as Lupus Awareness Month
to show support for the 
4estimated 65,000 Illinois residents who have lupus; and
  
 
5    WHEREAS, Lupus is an acute, chronic, and lifelong 
6autoimmune disease in which the immune
system is unbalanced, 
7causing inflammation and tissue damage to virtually every organ

8system in the body; and
  
 
9    WHEREAS, Lupus can affect any part of the body, including 
10the skin, lungs, heart, kidneys, and
brain; no organ is spared; 
11the disease can cause seizures, strokes, heart attacks,

12miscarriages, and organ failure; and
  
 
13    WHEREAS, While lupus strikes mostly women of childbearing 
14age, no one is safe; African Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, 
15Asians, and Native Americans are two to three times
more likely 
16to develop lupus - a disparity that remains unexplained; and
  
 
17    WHEREAS, Lupus can be particularly difficult to diagnose 
18because its symptoms are similar to
those of many other 
19illnesses, and major gaps exist in understanding the causes and

20consequences of lupus; more than half of all people with lupus 
21take four or more years and
visit three or more doctors before 
 
 
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1obtaining a correct diagnosis; therefore, be it
  
 
  
2    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE 
3HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we 
4declare May of 2017 as Lupus Awareness Month in the State of 
5Illinois; and be it further
 
6    RESOLVED, That we urge citizens to observe this month by 
7educating themselves on the symptoms
and impact of lupus, and 
8to join with the Lupus Society of Illinois in supporting 
9programs of
research, education, and community service; and be 
10it further
  
 
11    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
12presented to the Lupus Society of Illinois.