| R 261 |
| 2025 -- S 0992 Enacted 05/01/2025 |
| S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N |
| PROCLAIMING THE MONTH OF MAY OF 2025 TO BE “MYOSITIS AWARENESS MONTH IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND” |
Introduced By: Senator Mark P. McKenney |
| Date Introduced: April 28, 2025 |
| WHEREAS, Residents of the State of Rhode Island are among those affected by myositis |
| and other rare diseases, because nearly one in ten Americans are afflicted with a rare disease; and |
| WHEREAS, Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (collectively referred to as Myositis) |
| are rare, chronic, autoimmune muscle wasting diseases associated with morbidity, significant |
| disability, and impacts lungs and other organs; and |
| WHEREAS, More research is needed to identify the causes of and modes of treatment for |
| the myositis group of diseases, which includes anti-MDS5 autoantibody positive myositis; |
| antisynthetase syndrome; dermatomyositis; juvenile dermatomyositis; immune-mediated |
| necrotizing myopathy; inclusion body myositis; and polymyositis; and |
| WHEREAS, Myositis is difficult to diagnose, treatment is often delayed, and individuals |
| generally experience difficulty finding a health care provider with expertise in their condition; |
| and |
| WHEREAS, All who suffer with myositis experience reduced quality of life, especially |
| as no cure has been found and life expectancy is shortened, especially for those with inclusion |
| body myositis and, women and people of color with all forms of myositis experience particularly |
| pronounced health disparities; and |
| WHEREAS, The Myositis Association (TMA) is the leading international patient |
| advocacy organization serving the myositis community, focusing on patient services, education, |
| research, and public awareness, so as to achieve a world without myositis; now, therefore be it |
| RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island hereby proclaims the Month |
| of May of 2025 to be “Myositis Awareness Month in the State of Rhode Island”. We furthermore |
| encourage all Rhode Islanders to come together to learn more about all the forms of Myositis and |
| its symptoms, and to support the families in our community who will benefit from greater |
| awareness of these rare diseases; and be it further |
| RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to |
| transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Ms. Paula Eichenbrenner, Executive Director |
| of the Myositis Association, and Ms. Courtney Smith. |
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| LC002182 |
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