Mar. 31, 2015
HARRISBURG—The House has unanimously passed
House Resolution 202, sponsored by Rep. Joe Hackett (R-Delaware), to declare March 2015 as “Fibromuscular Dysplasia (FMD) Awareness Month” in Pennsylvania.
FMD causes abnormal growth in the medium-sized arteries in the body, potentially causing hypertension, strokes and aneurysms. The disease affects only 5% of the population; 90% of those diagnosed are female.
“This unique illness was brought to my attention by a childhood friend, whose daughter, Trisha, was diagnosed with FMD 10 years ago, at age 21, and underwent, what was supposed to be, a routine tonsil surgery after her diagnosis,” Hackett said.
Since 2003, The Fibromuscular Dysplasia Society of America (FMDSA) has been active and successful in raising public and physician awareness of the disease, increasing patient support and working with researchers around the world.
“Many rare diseases are not well-known by the public or medical community,” Hackett said. “Individuals and families affected by FMD often experience problems such as a sense of isolation, difficulty in obtaining accurate and timely diagnosis and ideal treatment options.”
There are no statistics on how many Americans have FMD, but as doctors learn more, diagnoses are increasing.
“This disease is so commonly overlooked that the length of time from the first symptom to diagnosis can be nine years. It’s a delay that wastes precious time for proper treatment,” Hackett said. “I strongly believe House Resolution 202 will increase awareness, prevent the delay in diagnosis, and improve the lives of patients and families affected.”
Representative Joe Hackett
161st District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: David Foster
267.207.0207
dfoster@pahousegop.com
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