HR 65

WHEREAS, For the 10th consecutive year, on September 16, 2017, throughout California, and on September 23, 2017, people from the greater Sacramento area will join with thousands of other participants from all across the nation in a fundraising walk sponsored by the Conquer Chiari Walk Across America, which will begin locally in Elk Grove Regional Park in Elk Grove; and

WHEREAS, Held on the same day nationwide, the Conquer Chiari Walk Across America is a series of local awareness and fundraising walks that unite Chiari malformation patients and their families with local residents who want to help support the thousands of Americans who struggle daily with this life-changing diagnosis; and

WHEREAS, Chiari malformation (CM) is a serious neurological disorder affecting well over 300,000 people in the United States, first identified by Austrian pathologist Professor Hans Chiari in the 1890s and categorized in order of severity: CM types 0, 1, 1.5, 2, 3, and 4; and

WHEREAS, Chiari malformations are defects in the cerebellum, the part of the brain that controls balance. This creates pressure on the cerebellum and brain stem and may block the normal flow of cerebral spinal fluid to and from the brain; and

WHEREAS, The cause of Chiari malformation is unknown, but scientists believe it is either a congenital condition caused by exposure to harmful substances during fetal development or that it can be a genetic condition, as it may appear in more than one family member; and

WHEREAS, Symptoms usually appear during adolescence or early adulthood and can include severe head and neck pain, vertigo, muscle weakness, balance problems, blurred vision or double vision, difficulty swallowing, and sleep apnea; and

WHEREAS, The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke of the National Institutes of Health is conducting research to find alternative surgical options and identify the cause of the malformations to create improved treatment and prevention plans; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, That the Assembly recognizes the month of September 2017 as Chiari Malformation Awareness Month in the State of California; and be it further

Resolved, That the Assembly encourages supporters to participate in the Conquer Chiari Walk Across America and commends all those who support this cause; and be it further

Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.