| 1 | House Resolution |
| 2 | A resolution recognizing November 10-16, 2008, as "Spinal |
| 3 | Cord Injury Awareness Week" in Florida. |
| 4 |
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| 5 | WHEREAS, the central nervous system is made up of the brain |
| 6 | and the spinal cord, the latter of which is considered the |
| 7 | body's "information superhighway" because its bundles of neurons |
| 8 | carry signals to and from the brain, controlling many bodily |
| 9 | functions; however, after a spinal cord injury, damaged neurons |
| 10 | can no longer emit signals and the injured person suffers |
| 11 | permanent loss of sensory perception and muscle control, and |
| 12 | WHEREAS, there are currently between 250,000 and 400,000 |
| 13 | individuals in the United States who have sustained spinal cord |
| 14 | injuries, and it is estimated that the annual incidence of |
| 15 | spinal cord injury in the nation, not including victims who die |
| 16 | at the scene of an accident, increases by roughly 11,000 new |
| 17 | cases each year, and |
| 18 | WHEREAS, the leading causes of spinal cord injury are |
| 19 | automobile accidents, falls, gunshot wounds, and recreational |
| 20 | sporting accidents, with 80 percent of such injuries occurring |
| 21 | in men and 20 percent in women, and the most common age of |
| 22 | victims of spinal cord injury is 19 years, and |
| 23 | WHEREAS, during the past 15 years, scientists have made |
| 24 | major breakthroughs in the understanding of how damaged neurons |
| 25 | may be encouraged to regenerate and gain restored function and |
| 26 | in methods designed to improve the quality of life for injured |
| 27 | patients in such critical areas as infertility and pain |
| 28 | management, and |
| 29 | WHEREAS, the Darrell Gwynn Foundation, which has funded |
| 30 | research aimed not only at finding a cure for paralysis but also |
| 31 | at improving the overall quality of life for individuals who are |
| 32 | suffering from this debilitating condition, will devote the week |
| 33 | of November 10-16, 2008, to working with local governments and |
| 34 | schools in an effort to educate Floridians as to the causes and |
| 35 | treatments of spinal cord injuries and to stress ways to prevent |
| 36 | the occurrence of such injuries, NOW, THEREFORE, |
| 37 |
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| 38 | Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of |
| 39 | Florida: |
| 40 |
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| 41 | That the House of Representatives recognizes the week of |
| 42 | November 10-16, 2008, as "Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Week" in |
| 43 | Florida and urges all Floridians to make themselves aware of the |
| 44 | causes and prevention of spinal cord injuries. |