Ivan, With your permission I would like to use your draft with a few changes
for my state. Missouri. Shirley
-----Original Message-----
From: Ivan M Suzman <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Thursday, February 10, 2000 6:41 AM
Subject: PD Awareness: Maine House-Senate Resolution


>Dear PIEN subscribers,
>
>  Immediately following is the final, revised draft of the Maine
>House-Senate Joint Resolution Recognizing Parkinson's Disease
>Awareness Month ( April, 2000 ).  I have had the honor of
>being selected to write this updated and revised draft.  I have
>been working with Carl Barker, President of the network
>of  Maine  PD support groups, and we have the concurrence of PWP
>Karen Bardo of the Maine Parkinson's Society.
>
>This Resolution draft  will be sponsored by my state Representative,
>William Norbert (Dem-Portland). He will be reviewing comments
>on the text as submitted to him,  and will be lining up strong
>speakers in both House and Senate.
>
>The final wording may vary slightly from this draft.
>
> Your comments are welcome. This draft Resolution may
>lead to upcoming legislation to fund a state  PD education
>program aimed at the legal and medical communities,
>and  to support patient and caregiver services in
>association with a long-awaited plan to create a
>sorely-needed PD clinic.
>
>Ivan
> :-)
>
>^^^^^^  WARM GREETINGS  FROM  ^^^^^^^^^^^^  :-)
> Ivan Suzman        50/39/36       [log in to unmask]      :-)
> Portland, Maine    land of lighthouses       39 thawing deg. F   :-)
>********************************************************************
>
>DRAFT of MAINE JOINT SENATE-HOUSE PD AWARENESS MONTH RESOLUTION
>
>
>WHEREAS, Parkinson’s Disease( Paralysis Agitans) is a brain disorder that
>usually affects adults
>over 40 years of age; however, it can occur in any of three forms: later
>life onset Parkinson’s
>Disease, young onset Parkinson’s Disease, which affects adults under 40
>years of age, and
>juvenile onset Parkinson’s Disease; and
>
>WHEREAS, Parkinson’s Disease is estimated to develop in 1 out of 4
>persons over age 80, 1 out
>of 10 persons over age 60, and a significant number of those under the
>age of 40; and
>
>WHEREAS, there are 60,000 new patients diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease
>annually in the
>United States, one every 9 minutes; and
>
>WHEREAS, according to the American Parkinson Disease Association there
>are approximately
>1,500,000 people in the United States diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease,
>of which an estimated
>7,000 or more are in the State of Maine; and
>
>WHEREAS, more individuals suffer from Parkinson’s Disease than from
>Multiple Sclerosis ,
>Muscular Dystrophy and Lou Gehrig’s Disease combined; and
>
>WHEREAS, Parkinson’s Disease is a devastating, painful and incurable
>brain disorder of
>unknown origin that disrupts and may end the lives of those who suffer
>from it;  and
>
>WHEREAS, Parkinson’s Disease often takes an enormous emotional, physical
>and financial toll
>on the Parkinson’s patient as well as on his or her family and friends;
>and
>
>WHEREAS, the most usual symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease(tremors,slowness
>of
>movement,shuffling gait, difficulty with balance, lessened facial
>expression,malfunction of  the
>vocal cords,intestinal difficulties and emotional distress ) can be taken
>as a normal part of the
>aging process; and
>
>WHEREAS, the cause of Parkinson’s Disease is an unexplained loss of cell
>function deep within
>the brain and medication can only control some of the symptoms for
>uncertain periods of time;
>and
>
>WHEREAS, there is a great need for further training and education in the
>health care and the
>legal professions to protect the rights of persons with Parkinson’s
>Disease ; and
>
>WHEREAS, there is also an urgent need for a Parkinson’s clinic in Maine
>to give easier access to
>specialists in Parkinson’s Disease and to provide more effective support
>programs and services to
>Parkinson’s Disease patients and their caregivers and families; and
>
>WHEREAS, increased research is needed to help find more effective
>treatments and ultimately to
>find a cure for Parkinson’s Disease ; and
>
>WHEREAS, full funding of  the federal law, the Morris K. Udall
>Parkinson’s Research,Education
>and Assistance Act of 1997, directing the National Institute of Health to
>spend up to
>$100,000,000 annually on Parkinson’s Disease research, is critical ;and
>
>WHEREAS, April 11th has been proclaimed to be World Parkinson’s Day, a
>day for all to
>recognize the need for more research and help in dealing with the
>devastating effects of
>Parkinson’s Disease; and
>
>WHEREAS, the leading public officials of the State and leading officials
>in the State’s medical
>community are now called upon to aid in reversing the invisibility and
>voicelessness of its citizens
>suffering from Parkinson’s Disease; now, therefore, be it
>
>RESOLVED: That we, the Members of the One Hundred and Twentieth
>Legislature, now
>assembled in the First Regular Session, recognize the month of April as
>Parkinson’s Disease
>Awareness Month throughout the State; and be it further
>
>RESOLVED: That suitable copies of this resolution, duly authenticated by
>the Secretary of State,
>be transmitted to the Maine Parkinson Society , the Maine Chapter of  the
>American Parkinson
>Disease Association and the Maine Board of Licensure in Medicine..