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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, Brain injury is not an event or an outcome, but
3the start of a misdiagnosed, misunderstood, and under-funded
4neurological disease; individuals who sustain brain injuries
5must have timely access to expert trauma care, specialized
6rehabilitation, lifelong disease management, and
7individualized services and support in order to live healthy,
8independent, and satisfying lives; and
 
9    WHEREAS, 1.5 million Americans sustain a traumatic brain
10injury (TBI) every year; among those who survive, 80,000 people
11per year must learn to cope with lifelong losses of function;
12the number of people with TBI who are not seen in an emergency
13department or who receive no care is unknown; and
 
14    WHEREAS, The leading causes of traumatic brain injury are
15falls, motor vehicle crashes, being struck by or against an
16object, assaults, and blasts; many active-duty military
17personnel in war zones suffer traumatic brain injuries; the
18Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that as
19many as 3.9 million sports-related and recreation-related
20concussions occur in the United States each year; the risks of
21catastrophic injuries, or even death, are significant when a
22concussion or head injury is not properly evaluated and
23managed; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Concussions are a type of brain injury that can
2range from mild to severe and can disrupt the way the brain
3normally works; concussions occur with or without loss of
4consciousness; a lack of proper diagnosis and management of
5concussions may result in serious long-term consequences,
6including coma or even death; signs and symptoms may be
7noticeable immediately, or may take days or weeks before they
8are present; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Anyone with signs of moderate or severe TBI should
10receive medical attention as soon as possible; trained medical
11personnel will work to stabilize an individual with TBI and
12focus on preventing further injury; and
 
13    WHEREAS, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
14estimates that at least 5.3 million Americans currently have a
15long-term or lifelong need for help to perform daily activities
16as a result of TBI; TBI can cause a wide range of functional
17changes that affect thinking, sensation, language, and
18emotions; TBI can also cause epilepsy and increase the risk for
19conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease,
20and other brain disorders that become more prevalent with age;
21therefore, be it
 
22    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE

 

 

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1NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
2we designate the month of March as Brain Injury Awareness Month
3in the State of Illinois and urge the citizens of this State to
4join in recognizing the importance of prevention and early
5detection of brain injuries; and be it further
 
6    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
7presented to the Brain Injury Association of Illinois.