WHEREAS, Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a chronic and progressive disease that affects the nervous system and is the second most common neurodegenerative disease in the United States; and
WHEREAS, the symptoms of PD can include: tremors, slowed movement, rigid muscles, impaired posture and balance, loss of automatic movements, writing changes, and speech changes; and
WHEREAS, approximately 2,550 Delawareans have been diagnosed with PD according to the Parkinson’s Foundation Prevalence Project in 2014; and
WHEREAS, there are more than 10 million people living with PD worldwide; and
WHEREAS, the cost of PD is estimated to be nearly $52 billion each year in the United States and expected to rise to $80 billion annually by 2037; and
WHEREAS, the average cost of medication is $2,500 pp/year and surgery can cost up to $100,000 per person; and
WHEREAS, the Parkinson’s Foundation estimates that nearly one million people in the U.S. are living with PD, which is more than the combined number of people diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, and Lou Gehrig’s disease (or Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis). This is expected to rise to 1.2 million by 2030; and
WHEREAS, the cause of PD is unknown and there is no current cure for the disease; and
WHEREAS, every April the Parkinson’s Foundation works to raise awareness about the disease; and
WHEREAS, the Parkinson Foundation has invested more than $425 million in PD research and clinical care since 1957; and
WHEREAS, the campaign for the 2024 Parkinson’s Disease Awareness month is “#ABCsofPD”; and
WHEREAS, the purpose of the campaign is to help people understand the complexity of Parkinson’s Disease and recognize its symptoms.
NOW, THEREFORE:
BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the 152nd General Assembly of the State of Delaware, the House of Representatives concurring therein, that April 2024 is recognized as “Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Month” in the State of Delaware.
