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THE SENATE |
S.C.R. NO. |
150 |
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TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2010 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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SENATE CONCURRENT
RESOLUTION
proclaiming September 26, 2010, as Mesothelioma Awareness Day.
WHEREAS, mesothelioma is a terminal, asbestos-related cancer that affects the linings of the lungs, abdomen, heart, and testicles; and
WHEREAS, workers exposed to asbestos on a daily basis over a long period of time are most at risk of acquiring mesothelioma, but even short-term exposure may cause the disease, and exposure to asbestos for as little as one month can result in mesothelioma as late as fifty years later; and
WHEREAS, asbestos was used in the construction of virtually all office buildings, public schools, and homes built before 1975, and asbestos is still used in over three thousand products that are sold in the United States; and
WHEREAS, for decades, the need to develop treatments for mesothelioma was overlooked, and today, even the best available treatments usually have only a very limited effect; and
WHEREAS, the expected survival time of those diagnosed with mesothelioma is between eight and fourteen months; and
WHEREAS, mesothelioma regularly affects workers who have come into contact with asbestos on the job, including a high percentage of United States Navy personnel and shipyard workers who have been exposed on Navy ships and in shipyards; and
WHEREAS, it is believed that many of the firefighters, police officers, and rescue workers in New York City who responded to the disaster at the World Trade Center after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks are at risk for developing mesothelioma in the future; and
WHEREAS, in 1999, the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation was formed for the purpose of eradicating mesothelioma as a life-ending disease, and early progress in developing effective treatments for the disease is now being made; and
WHEREAS, efforts to eliminate mesothelioma could be assisted by raising public awareness about the disease and its causes so that those who are at risk may receive information and screening that may save their lives; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-fifth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2010, the House of Representatives concurring, that September 26, 2010 be known as "Mesothelioma Awareness Day" to raise public awareness about mesothelioma and the need to develop effective treatments and a cure for this fatal disease; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that all citizens are encouraged to learn more about mesothelioma on Mesothelioma Awareness Day, and if they are at risk for contracting the disease, to arrange for mesothelioma screening; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, the Director of Health, and the Chief Executive Officer of the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation.
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OFFERED BY: |
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Mesothelioma Awareness Day