Sponsored by:
Senator JOSEPH F. VITALE
District 19 (Middlesex)
Senator FRED H. MADDEN, JR.
District 4 (Camden and Gloucester)
SYNOPSIS
Designates May of each year as “Prader-Willi Syndrome Awareness Month” in New Jersey.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
A Joint Resolution permanently designating May as “Prader-Willi Syndrome Awareness Month” in New Jersey.
Whereas, Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS) is a complex genetic disorder affecting appetite, grown, metabolism, cognitive function, and behavior; and
Whereas, Symptoms of PWS typically include low muscle tone, short stature, incomplete sexual development, cognitive disabilities, behavioral problems, and chronic feelings of insatiable hunger and slowed metabolism leading to excessive eating and life-threatening obesity; and
Whereas, It is estimated that one in 12,000 to 15,000 people have PWS; and
Whereas, Although considered a rare disorder, PWS is one of the most common conditions seen in genetic clinics and the most common cause of morbid obesity in children; and
Whereas, PWS is often misdiagnosed due to the medical community's unfamiliarity with the syndrome. It is sometimes misdiagnosed as Down syndrome because of the relative frequency of Down syndrome compared to PWS; and
Whereas, PWS is found in both men and women and is attributed to a spontaneous genetic error that occurs on chromosome 15, for unknown reasons, at or near the time of conception; and
Whereas, In a small percentage of cases of PWS, a genetic mutation that does not affect the parents can be passed onto a child, and in these families, more than one child may be affected; and
Whereas, PWS may also be acquired after birth if the hypothalamus portion of the brain becomes damaged through injury or surgery; and
Whereas, PWS has no cure. However, early diagnosis and treatment may help prevent or reduce the number of challenges that PWS sufferers may experience, and which may be more of a problem if diagnosis or treatment is delayed; and
Whereas, It is important to increase the public’s awareness about PWS, its devastating impact on the lives of men, women, and children who suffer from the syndrome, and the fact that with early diagnosis and treatment, the effects of the syndrome can be reduced; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. May of each year is designated as "Prader-Willi Syndrome Awareness Month" in New Jersey in order to increase the public’s awareness about PWS, its devastating impact on the lives of men, women, and children who suffer from the syndrome, and the fact that with early diagnosis and treatment, the effects of the syndrome can be reduced.
2. The Governor is respectfully requested to annually issue a proclamation recognizing May as "Prader-Willi Syndrome Awareness Month" in New Jersey and calling upon public officials, the citizens of the State, and other interested groups to observe the month with appropriate activities and programs.
3. This joint resolution shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This joint resolution permanently designates May as "Prader-Willi Syndrome Awareness Month" in New Jersey in order to increase the public’s awareness about PWS, its devastating impact on the lives of men, women, and children who suffer from the syndrome, and the fact that with early diagnosis and treatment, the effects of the syndrome can be reduced.