SR1633 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR1633 LRB099 20953 GRL 45872 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Epilepsy is a medical condition that produces seizures affecting a variety of mental and physical functions; and

WHEREAS, 65 million people around the world have epilepsy; and

WHEREAS, Nearly three million people in the United States have epilepsy; one in 26 people in the United States will develop epilepsy at some point in their lifetime; there are 150,000 new cases of epilepsy in the United States every year; and

WHEREAS, Over 200,000 people in the State of Illinois have epilepsy; and

WHEREAS, Epilepsy is the fourth most common neurological disorder in the United States after migraines, stroke, and Alzheimer's disease; the prevalence of epilepsy is greater than autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson's disease combined; and

WHEREAS, One-third of people with epilepsy live with uncontrollable seizures because no available treatment works for them; and

WHEREAS, 50,000 people die from epilepsy-related causes in the United States every year; and

WHEREAS, The Epilepsy Foundation affiliates in Illinois offer counseling, advocacy, and educational services to people with epilepsy, their families, and the communities in which they live; and

WHEREAS, The Epilepsy Foundation affiliates of Illinois lead the fight to stop seizures, find a cure, and overcome challenges created by epilepsy; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we designate the date of May 4, 2016 as Illinois Epilepsy Advocacy Day in the State of Illinois; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to the Epilepsy Foundation of Chicago, the Epilepsy Foundation of North Central Illinois, and the Epilepsy Foundation of Southern Illinois.