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To recognize the month of April as Parkinson’s Awareness Month and commend the effort of increased education and research by the Parkinson’s Foundation
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WHEREAS, Parkinson’s disease is a chronic, progressive, neurological disease affecting approximately one million people in the United States diagnosing 90,000 new people each year. Parkinson’s disease is estimated to affect approximately one million people in the United States and the prevalence will rise to 1.2 million by 2030; and
WHEREAS, research suggests the cause of Parkinson’s disease is a combination of genetic and environmental factors, but the exact cause and progression of the disease is still unknown leading to no objective test or biomarker for Parkinson’s disease, and there is no cure or drug to slow or halt the progression of the disease. Therefore Parkinson’s disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease and 14th leading cause of death in the United States according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and
WHEREAS, it is estimated that the economic burden of Parkinson’s disease is at least $52 billion annually, including direct and indirect costs, including treatment, social security payments and lost income, to patients and family members; and
WHEREAS, the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease vary from person to person and can include tremors; slowness of movement and rigidity; difficulty with balance, swallowing, chewing, and speaking; cognitive impairment and dementia; mood disorders; and a variety of other non-motor symptoms; and
WHEREAS, volunteers, researchers, caregivers, and medical professionals are working to improve the quality of life of persons living with Parkinson’s disease and their families through increased research, education, and community support services such as those provided by the Parkinson’s Foundation and other organizations are needed to find more effective treatments and to provide access to quality care to those living with the dise...
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