Florida Senate - 2017 (NP) SR 1840 By Senator Flores 39-03508-17 20171840__ 1 Senate Resolution 2 A resolution recognizing May 2017 as “Cystic Fibrosis 3 Awareness Month” in Florida. 4 5 WHEREAS, cystic fibrosis is a genetic disease that affects 6 more than 1,400 children and adults in Florida, more than 30,000 7 children and adults in the United States, and nearly 70,000 8 children and adults worldwide, and 9 WHEREAS, cystic fibrosis is triggered by a defective gene 10 that causes the body to produce an abnormally thick, sticky 11 mucus that clogs the lungs, and these secretions produce life 12 threatening lung infections and obstruct the pancreas, 13 preventing digestive enzymes from reaching the intestines to 14 help break down and absorb food, and 15 WHEREAS, more than 10 million Americans are symptomless 16 carriers of the cystic fibrosis gene, and the disease occurs in 17 approximately one of every 3,500 live births in the United 18 States, and 19 WHEREAS, the median age of survival for a person with 20 cystic fibrosis is 41 years, and 21 WHEREAS, the number of adults with cystic fibrosis has 22 steadily grown, and approximately 900 new cases of the disease 23 are diagnosed each year, and 24 WHEREAS, 51 percent of persons with cystic fibrosis are 18 25 years of age and older, and people with cystic fibrosis have a 26 variety of symptoms attributed to the more than 1,800 mutations 27 of the cystic fibrosis gene, and 28 WHEREAS, infant blood screening to detect genetic defects 29 is the most reliable and least costly method to identify persons 30 likely to have the disease, and 31 WHEREAS, early diagnosis of cystic fibrosis permits early 32 treatment and enhances quality of life and longevity, and 33 WHEREAS, clearing mucus from the lungs is an important part 34 of the daily cystic fibrosis treatment regimen, and other types 35 of treatments include inhaled antibiotics and pancreatic 36 enzymes, and 37 WHEREAS, there are 20 world-class treatment centers in 38 Florida that specialize in the diagnosis and care of persons 39 with cystic fibrosis, and 40 WHEREAS, a critical component of treating patients with 41 cystic fibrosis includes access to innovative treatments that 42 can play a crucial role in their lives, and 43 WHEREAS, improving the length and quality of life for 44 people with cystic fibrosis starts with awareness, NOW, 45 THEREFORE, 46 47 Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida: 48 49 That May 2017 is recognized as “Cystic Fibrosis Awareness 50 Month” in Florida.