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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, Cystic fibrosis, commonly referred to as "CF", is
3a genetic disease affecting approximately 30,000 children and
4adults in the United States and nearly 70,000 children and
5adults worldwide, 1,035 of whom live in Illinois; and
 
6    WHEREAS, A defective gene causes the body to produce an
7abnormally thick, sticky mucus that clogs the lungs; these
8secretions produce life-threatening lung infections and
9obstruct the pancreas, preventing digestive enzymes from
10reaching the intestines to help break down and absorb food;
11and
 
12    WHEREAS, More than 10 million Americans are symptomless
13carriers of the defective cystic fibrosis gene; cystic
14fibrosis occurs in approximately one of every 3,500 live
15births in the United States; and
 
16    WHEREAS, The median age of survival for a person with
17cystic fibrosis is 41.1 years; and
 
18    WHEREAS, With advances in the treatment of cystic
19fibrosis, the number of adults living with cystic fibrosis has
20steadily grown, and approximately 1,000 new cases of cystic
21fibrosis are diagnosed each year; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Nearly 50% of the cystic fibrosis population is
218 years of age and older; people with cystic fibrosis have a
3variety of symptoms attributed to the more than 1,800
4mutations of the cystic fibrosis gene; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Infant blood screening to detect genetic defects
6is the most reliable and least costly method to identify
7persons likely to have cystic fibrosis; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Early diagnosis of cystic fibrosis permits early
9treatment and enhances quality of life and longevity; the
10treatment of cystic fibrosis depends on the stage of the
11disease and the organs involved; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Clearing mucus from the lungs is an important
13part of the daily cystic fibrosis treatment regimen; other
14types of treatments include inhaled antibiotics and pancreatic
15enzymes, among others; and
 
16    WHEREAS, There are 15 world-class treatment centers in
17Illinois that specialize in the diagnosis of cystic fibrosis
18and the care of persons with cystic fibrosis; and
 
19    WHEREAS, A critical component of treating patients with
20cystic fibrosis includes access to innovative treatments,

 

 

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1which can play a crucial role in the lives of patients with
2cystic fibrosis; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Improving the length and quality of life for
4people with cystic fibrosis starts with awareness; therefore,
5be it
 
6    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
7HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
8we declare the month of May of 2021 as Cystic Fibrosis
9Awareness Month in the State of Illinois.