House Concurrent Resolution 24

(As Adopted by House and Senate)

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ACKNOWLEDGING AND OBSERVING OCTOBER 2018, AS "DYSAUTONOMIA AWARENESS MONTH" AND ENCOURAGING THE CITIZENS OF MISSISSIPPI TO COMMEMORATE ITS OBSERVANCE DURING THE MONTH OF OCTOBER 2018.

WHEREAS, dysautonomia (pronouced "dis-oughta-know'-me-uh") is an umbrella term used to describe a group of medical conditions that result in a malfunction of the autonomic nervous system, which is responsible for "automatic" bodily functions such as respiration, heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, temperature control and more; and

WHEREAS, some forms of dysautonomia are considered rare diseases, such as Multiple System Atrophy and Pure Autonomic Failure, while other forms of dysautonomia are common, such as Diabetic Autonomic Neuropathy, Neurocardiogenic Syncope and Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS); and

WHEREAS, Mayo Clinic researchers estimate that POTS impacts 1 out of 100 teens, and a total of 1 to 3 million Americans including adult onset patients, as well as millions more around the globe, making it more common than well-known conditions like multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease, but the majority of people living with POTS are young women between the ages of 12 and 40; and

WHEREAS, one of the young girls affected by this illness is Mississippi's own Haylie Knowles, who first started experiencing symptoms in 2009 but was forced to go from doctor to doctor, from Jackson, Mississippi, all the way up to Memphis, Tennessee, and then to Birmingham, Alabama, before a specialist was able to diagnose her, which is why raising awareness, observing October 2018 as "Dysautonomia Awareness Month," and bringing this disease into the public eye is so important; and

WHEREAS, some forms of dysautonomia can be very disabling, for example, Haylie has had several TIAs and mini strokes, three heart procedures, a pacemaker, two ablations, an ASD closure with a Helix device, brain fog, fatigue, unconsciousness, hypoperfusion seizures, and her body does not regulate blood pressure or heart rate like it should, and she has to get IV fluids about every 10 days because her body does not recognize when or if she has had enough fluids, even when she has, so this disability can obviously result in social isolation, stress on the families of those impacted, and financial hardship; and

WHEREAS, dysautonomia causes so many symptoms because the automatic nervous system controls so many different bodily functions, and some forms of dysautonomia can result in death, causing tremendous pain and suffering for those impacted and their loved ones; and

WHEREAS, increased awareness about dysautonomia will help patients get diagnosed and treated earlier, save lives, and foster support for individuals and families coping with dysautonomia in Mississippi, throughout the United States and around the world; and

WHEREAS, Dysautonomia International, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that advocates on behalf of patients living with dysautonomia, encourages communities to celebrate Dysautonomia Awareness Month each October around the world; and

WHEREAS, the people of Mississippi acknowledge the necessity of raising awareness for dysautonomia and recognizing the contributions of the professional medical community, patients and family members who are working to educate our citizenry about dysautonomia so that patients will get diagnosed and treated earlier and lives will be saved, so Mississippians firmly believe that it is fitting and proper to designate and observe the month of October 2018 as "Dysautonomia Awareness Month":

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby acknowledge and observe October 2018, as "Dysautonomia Awareness Month" and encourage the citizens of Mississippi to commemorate its observance during the month of October 2018.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to the Dysautonomia International, the Governor of Mississippi, the Lieutenant Governor of Mississippi, the Secretary of State of Mississippi and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.