S 3329

2026 -- S 3329
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LC003818
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  STATE  OF        RHODE  ISLAND
  IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
  JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
  ____________
  SENATE RESOLUTION
   PROCLAIMING MAY 10TH, 2026, TO BE "LUPUS DAY" IN THE STATE OF RHODE
  ISLAND
  Introduced By: Senators Gallo, Felag, Famiglietti, LaMountain, Appollonio, E Morgan,
  Burke, Dimitri, Urso, and Valverde
  Date Introduced: May 27, 2026
  Referred To: Recommended for Immediate Consideration
1WHEREAS, Lupus is a chronic, severe and unpredictable autoimmune disease that can
2 cause life-threatening damage to any organ in the body by causing the immune system to attack
3 normal tissue, resulting in inflammation in various parts of the body, particularly the skin, joints,
4 blood system, and kidneys. It develops most commonly in women between the ages of 15 and 45;
5 and
6WHEREAS, Lupus is a global health problem. Every day roughly 1.5 million Americans,
7 and more than five million people worldwide, struggle with the debilitating health consequences
8 of lupus, a condition during which the immune system is compromised to the extent that it is
9 unable to distinguish the body's own cells and tissues from foreign invaders; and
10WHEREAS, There is an urgent need to develop tools that will improve patient and
11 physician communication. Many primary care physicians are not fully aware of all the signs and
12 symptoms of lupus, causing people with lupus to suffer for many years before obtaining a
13 diagnosis and treatment; and
14WHEREAS, There remains low public awareness and understanding of lupus symptoms.
15 People with lupus need access to medical specialists and high-quality multidisciplinary care
16 including emotional, psychological, and social care; and
17WHEREAS, World Lupus Day was first celebrated in the United States in 2004, with the
18 issuance of the first World Lupus Day Proclamation, which identified this historic day and was
19 aimed at raising awareness of the plight and the treatment requirements of millions of people;
1 now, therefore be it
2RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island hereby proclaims May 10 th of
3 2026, to be "Lupus Day" in our State and joins advocates from around the globe in calling for
4 greater awareness of lupus and its consequences; and be it further
5RESOLVED, That this Senate hereby urges and supports enhanced charitable donations
6 to the Lupus Foundation of America and all organizations engaged in lupus research and patient
7 services, and in this noble enterprise on behalf of all who are affected by lupus; and be it further
8RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to
9 transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to the LUPUS Foundation of America,
10 Connecticut Chapter, Inc.
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LC003818
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