Senators Gregory, Hood, Marleau, Hopgood, Warren, Ananich, Knezek, Conyers, Young, Hertel, Hansen and Bieda offered the following resolution:

            Senate Resolution No. 161.

            A resolution to commemorate May 2018 as Lupus Awareness Month.

            Whereas, The Michigan Lupus Foundation will be highlighting awareness this year by hosting “Cure to the Capitol Lupus Awareness Bike Ride” on Saturday, May 12, 2018, where participants will be biking to the State Capitol from their office in Southfield; and

            Whereas, Each year, the lupus agencies of Michigan designate May as Lupus Awareness Month to show support for the 1.5 million Americans and 5 million people worldwide who suffer from the often debilitating effects of lupus, a chronic autoimmune disease that can cause severe damage to the tissue and organs in the body and, in some cases, death; and

            Whereas, Thousands of people are newly diagnosed with lupus each year, the great majority of whom are young people in the prime of their lives and 90 percent of whom are women; and

            Whereas, Lupus is most prevalent among African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, and Asians. Tragically, thousands of people die from lupus each year because a cure remains elusive; and

            Whereas, There is a continued need for increased public and professional awareness of lupus; and

            Whereas, Medical research efforts into lupus and the discovery of safer, more effective treatments for lupus patients are underfunded in comparison with diseases of comparable magnitude and severity; and

            Whereas, Increasing community awareness and focusing public attention on lupus and its devastating impact on people's lives will provide hope for a better future for those affected; and

            Whereas, The Michigan Lupus Foundation is dedicated to improving the quality of life for individuals with lupus and their loved ones by providing education, support, and outreach services and promoting programs of awareness, advocacy, and research; and

            Whereas, This legislative body recognizes the needs of those chronically-ill people who are living with lupus. We urge all citizens to support the search for a cure and assist those individuals and families who deal with this devastating disease on a daily basis; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the Senate, That we commemorate May 2018 as Lupus Awareness Month; and be it further

            Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Michigan Lupus Foundation.