Bill Text: NY K00539 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced


Bill Title: Memorializing Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim June 2019, as Migraine and Headache Awareness Month in the State of New York

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 32-18)

Status: (Passed) 2019-06-12 - adopted [K00539 Detail]

Download: New_York-2019-K00539-Introduced.html

Assembly Resolution No. 539

BY: M. of A. Zebrowski

        MEMORIALIZING Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim
        June  2019, as Migraine and Headache Awareness Month
        in the State of New York

  WHEREAS, It is the custom of  this  Legislative  Body  to  recognize
official  months  that  are  set  aside to increase awareness of serious
health issues that affect the lives of citizens of New York State; and

  WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and  in  full  accord  with  its
long-standing  traditions,  this  Legislative  Body  hereby memorializes
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim June 2019, as Migraine and Headache
Awareness Month in the State  of  New  York,  in  conjunction  with  the
observance of National Migraine and Headache Awareness Month; and

  WHEREAS,   Migraine   is   a  neurological  disease  with  extremely
incapacitating neurological symptoms, which typically consists of severe
throbbing recurring pain, usually on one side of the head;  however,  in
about  one-third  of  attacks,  both  sides are affected; in some cases,
other disabling symptoms are present without head pain; and

  WHEREAS, Attacks are  often  accompanied  by  one  or  more  of  the
following  disabling  symptoms:  visual  disturbances, nausea, vomiting,
dizziness, extreme sensitivity to sound, light,  touch  and  smell,  and
tingling or numbness in the extremities or face; and

  WHEREAS,  Approximately 25% of migraine sufferers also have a visual
disturbance called an aura, which usually lasts less than an  hour,  and
in  15-20%  of  attacks,  other  neurological  symptoms occur before the
actual head pain; attacks usually last between four and 72 hours; and

  WHEREAS,  Migraine  is  an  extraordinarily  prevalent  neurological
disease,  affecting  39  million  men,  women and children in the United
States and one billion worldwide; migraine is the third  most  prevalent
illness  in  the  world;  nearly  one  in  four United States households
includes someone who struggles with migraine, and 12% of the population,
including children, suffers from migraine; and

  WHEREAS, Migraine is most common between the ages of 25 and 55,  and
affects  18% of American women, 6% of men, and 10% of children; migraine
affects about 28 million women in the United States, and roughly one  in
four women will experience migraine in their lives; and

  WHEREAS,  About  10%  of  school-age  children suffer from migraine;
these children are absent from school twice as often as children without
migraine; half of all migraine sufferers have their first attack  before
the age of 12; and

  WHEREAS,  Most  people do not realize how serious and incapacitating
migraine can be; every 10 seconds, someone in the United States goes  to
the  emergency  room  complaining  of  head  pain, and approximately 1.2
million visits are for acute migraine attacks; and

  WHEREAS, While most sufferers experience attacks  once  or  twice  a
month,  more  than four million people have chronic daily migraine, with
at least 15 migraine days per month; more  than  90%  of  sufferers  are
unable to work or function normally during their migraine; and

  WHEREAS,  Migraines are not just a bad headache; for many sufferers,
migraine is  a  chronic  disease  that  significantly  diminishes  their
quality  of life; depression, anxiety, and sleep disturbances are common
for those with chronic migraine; 20% of chronic migraine  sufferers  are
disabled; and

  WHEREAS,  Healthcare  and  lost  productivity  costs associated with
migraine are estimated to be as high as  $36  billion  annually  in  the
United  States;  American employers lose more than $13 billion each year
as a result of 113 million lost work days due to migraine; and

  WHEREAS, Migraine remains a poorly understood disease that is  often
undiagnosed  and  undertreated;  in  2017,  there were approximately 500
certified headache specialists in  the  United  States  and  38  million
sufferers; and

  WHEREAS,  More  than  half  of  all  migraine  sufferers  are  never
diagnosed; the vast majority of migraine sufferers do not  seek  medical
care for their pain; only 4% of migraine sufferers who seek medical care
consult  headache  and pain specialists; although 25% of sufferers would
benefit from preventive treatment, only 12% of all sufferers receive it;
and

  WHEREAS, It is imperative that there be greater  awareness  of  this
serious  health condition, and more must be done to increase activity at
the local, State and National levels; and

  WHEREAS, Nonprofit organizations  like  the  Global  Healthy  Living
Foundation,  US  Pain Foundation, Chronic Migraine Awareness Inc., Miles
for Migraine, American  Migraine  Foundation,  Association  of  Migraine
Disorders and National Headache Foundation work daily to ensure migraine
patients  receive  the  care  and  support  they  need by advocating and
educating patients and caregivers; now, therefore, be it

  RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its  deliberations  to
memorialize  Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim June 2019, as Migraine
and Headache Awareness Month in the State of New  York,  in  conjunction
with  the  observance of National Migraine and Headache Awareness Month;
and be it further

  RESOLVED, That a copy of this  Resolution,  suitably  engrossed,  be
transmitted  to  The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of
New York.
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