Declare Cystic Fibrosis Month

Assembly Resolution No. 491 BY: M. of A. Mayer LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION memorializing Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim May 2017, as Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month in the State of New York WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to recognize official months that are set aside to increase awareness of serious illnesses that affect the lives of citizens of New York State; and WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long- standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim May 2017, as Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month in the State of New York; and WHEREAS, The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, a donor-supported nonprofit organization, is the world's leader in the search for a cure for cystic fibrosis, having raised and invested hundreds of millions of dollars to help develop drugs and therapies; and WHEREAS, The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is working to cure cystic fibrosis and to provide all people struggling with the disease the opportunity to lead full, productive lives; and WHEREAS, Cystic fibrosis, commonly referred to as "CF", is a genetic disease affecting approximately 30,000 children and adults in the United States and nearly 70,000 children and adults worldwide, 1,625 of whom live in New York; and WHEREAS, A defective gene causes the body to produce an abnormally thick, sticky mucus that clogs the lungs, and these secretions produce life-threatening lung infections and obstruct the pancreas, preventing digestive enzymes from reaching the intestines to help break down and absorb food; and WHEREAS, More than 10 million Americans are symptomless carriers of the defective CF gene, and CF occurs in approximately one of every 3,500 live births in the United States; and WHEREAS, The median age of survival for a person with CF is 41.1 years; and WHEREAS, With advances in the treatment of CF, the number of adults with CF has steadily grown, and approximately 1,000 new cases of CF are diagnosed each year; and WHEREAS, Through the CF Foundation's efforts, the life expectancy of a child with CF has doubled in the last 30 years, and research to find a cure is more promising than ever; and WHEREAS, Nearly 50% of the CF population is 18 years of age and older, and people with CF have a variety of symptoms attributed to the more than 1,800 mutations of the CF gene; and WHEREAS, Infant blood screening to detect genetic defects is the most reliable and least costly method to identify persons likely to have CF; and WHEREAS, Early diagnosis of CF permits early treatment and enhances quality of life and longevity and the treatment of CF depends on the stage of the disease and the organs involved; and WHEREAS, Clearing mucus from the lungs is an important part of the daily CF treatment regimen, and other types of treatments include inhaled antibiotics and pancreatic enzymes, among others; and WHEREAS, There are 13 world-class treatment centers in this Commonwealth which specialize in the diagnosis of CF and the care of persons with CF; and WHEREAS, It is imperative that there be greater public awareness of this serious health issue, and more must be done to increase activity at the local, State and national levels; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim May 2017, as Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month in the State of New York; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of New York.