Reps. Miller, Ball, Barnett, Lisa Brown, Terry Brown, Constan, Gonzales, Hansen, Robert Jones, Kowall, Liss, Lori, Mayes, Neumann, Pearce, Polidori, Proos, Roberts, Rogers, Segal, Smith, Spade, Valentine, Walsh and Warren offered the following resolution:

            House Resolution No. 280.

            A resolution to declare May 12, 2010, as Fibromyalgia Awareness Day in the state of Michigan. 

            Whereas, Fibromyalgia is a disease without a known cause or cure. This chronic disease affects people of all ages throughout the world. An estimated 10 million people in the United States alone suffer from this chronic disease; and

            Whereas, While 75-90 percent of the people who have Fibromyalgia are women, it also occurs in men and children and in all ethnic groups. The disorder is often seen in families, among siblings or mothers and their children. The diagnosis is usually made between the ages of 20 to 50 years, but the incidence rises with age so that by age 80, approximately 8% of adults meet the classification of Fibromyalgia: and

            Whereas, Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition, which causes people to suffer from often intolerable pain. One of the affects of Fibromyalgia is sleep fatigue as a result of a lack of deep sleep as well as patterns of non-restorative sleep. Fibromyalgia can also cause various nervous system pains such as neuropathic pain, central nervous system pain, and transmitter or receptor dysfunction pain. It can also cause headaches, interstitial cystitis, dizziness, tingling sensations, lack of sensations, vision problems, noise sensitivity, dysfunctional bowels, and problems with memory functioning; and

            Whereas, People afflicted by this condition find it nearly impossible to complete their daily routines. Patients have difficulty lifting any object even of light weight, have problems using stairs, and any slight physical strain makes it almost impossible to conduct daily activities; and

            Whereas, A diagnosis of Fibromyalgia takes an average of five years. Throughout that time the patient is enduring enormous amounts of pain and he or she often faces discrimination in both the workplace and community; and

            Whereas, The cost of Fibromyalgia to both an individual and society is expensive.  Prominent researchers and specialists estimate the costs in the United States to be between $12-14 billion each year and account for a loss of 1-2% of the nation's overall productivity.  A 2007 study found that Fibromyalgia patients may spend $100-$1000 per month in addition to their insurance costs on healthcare; and

            Whereas, The lack of public education of Fibromyalgia makes it extremely difficult to treat as well as to diagnose the condition.  Increasing public education and research on the causes and diagnosis of this illness would help to eliminate a misunderstanding of its conditions, and possibly make advances in diagnosis and treatment more likely in the future; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the House of Representatives, That the members of this legislative body declare May 12, 2010, as Fibromyalgia Awareness Day in the state of Michigan.