THE SENATE	S.C.R. NO.	4
TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE, 2011		S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

DECLARING THE MONTH OF MAY OF EACH YEAR AS LUPUS AWARENESS MONTH IN HAWAII.

WHEREAS, systemic lupus erythematosus, commonly known as lupus, is an immune system disorder of unknown cause and in its systemic form may affect the joints, skin, and one or more internal organs, such as the kidney, heart, and brain; and

WHEREAS, lupus is a chronic, complex, and life-threatening disease in which there is always the potential threat of serious illness and disability; and

WHEREAS, while lupus can occur in men, ninety percent of the sufferers are women in their childbearing years, particularly affecting native Hawaiian women, Pacific Island women, and women of Asian descent; and

WHEREAS, ordinarily, the immune system protects against infection by producing antibodies that successfully combat foreign infectious agents, but in people with lupus, the immune system produces antibodies that can harm the individual's own body; and

WHEREAS, people with lupus have many different symptoms, but the most common are fatigue, muscle and joint pain, skin disorders, and inflammation of internal organs or the vascular and nervous systems; and

WHEREAS, early detection and proper treatment are critical to the quality of life and survival rate of lupus sufferers; and

     WHEREAS, researchers estimate that over 1,500,000 people in the United States have been diagnosed with a form of lupus or related disease and according to Lupus Hawaii, over 10,000 people in Hawaii are affected by lupus; and

     WHEREAS, scientists in biology, biochemistry, immunology, genetics, and other fields are seeking to understand the causes of lupus and to develop better means of detection, treatment, and prevention; and

     WHEREAS, new research and new approaches to diagnosis and treatment are needed to fight lupus, and the suffering of lupus victims can be alleviated through patient services and the promotion of early detection of undiagnosed cases through lupus awareness programs; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-sixth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2011, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Legislature proclaim the month of May of each year as "Lupus Awareness Month" in Hawaii; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor and the Director of Health.

Report Title: 

Proclaiming May of Each Year as Lupus Awareness Month in Hawaii