00                  SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 16                                                                   
01 Proclaiming May 2012 to be Celiac Disease Awareness Month.                                                              
02 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                               
03       WHEREAS celiac disease is a genetic autoimmune disease that damages the lining of                               
04 the small intestine and may lead to malnutrition; and                                                                   
05       WHEREAS people with celiac disease cannot tolerate gluten, which is found in                                    
06 common cereal grains such as wheat, rye, and barley; and                                                                
07       WHEREAS when a person with celiac disease consumes food containing gluten, an                                   
08 immune reaction occurs in the small intestine that damages the tiny projections known as villi                          
09 that line the intestinal wall and that prevents the villi from effectively absorbing nutrients; and                     
10       WHEREAS people with celiac disease suffer debilitating symptoms; and                                            
11       WHEREAS celiac disease is associated with other disorders, including lupus,                                     
12 Addison's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, Turner's syndrome, Sjögren's syndrome, liver disease,                          
13 Williams syndrome, Down's syndrome, and fibromyalgia; and                                                               
14       WHEREAS, if left undiagnosed and untreated, celiac disease can increase the risk of                             
15 cardiovascular damage, other autoimmune diseases, diabetes, malnutrition, vitamin                                       
16 deficiencies, loss of calcium, osteoporosis, lactose intolerance, infertility, intestinal                               

01 lymphomas and other gastrointestinal cancers, depression, and neurological manifestations;                              
02 and                                                                                                                     
03       WHEREAS celiac disease is incurable; and                                                                        
04       WHEREAS the only treatment for celiac disease is strict, life-long adherence to a                               
05 gluten-free diet; and                                                                                                   
06       WHEREAS celiac disease is one of the most common genetic conditions in the world                                
07 and affects one in 133 people in the United States; and                                                                 
08       WHEREAS 97 percent of an estimated 3,000,000 Americans have undiagnosed celiac                                  
09 disease; and                                                                                                            
10       WHEREAS the population of Alaska, according to the 2010 census, is 710,231,                                     
11 which means that more than 5,000 Alaskans could have celiac disease; and                                                
12       WHEREAS celiac disease affects both males and females and can occur in people of                                
13 all ages; and                                                                                                           
14       WHEREAS first-degree relatives of people with celiac disease have an estimated one-                             
15 in-22 chance of developing celiac disease, and second-degree relatives have an estimated one-                           
16 in-39 chance of developing the disease; and                                                                             
17       WHEREAS celiac disease is more commonly found in people who have autoimmune                                     
18 thyroid disease, Down's syndrome, microscopic colitis, or type I diabetes; and                                          
19       WHEREAS eight to 10 percent of people with type I diabetes also have celiac                                     
20 disease; and                                                                                                            
21       WHEREAS research indicates that celiac disease is twice as common as Crohn's                                    
22 disease, ulcerative colitis, and cystic fibrosis combined; and                                                          
23       WHEREAS adults suffering from celiac disease experience an average delay of six to                              
24 10 years before being correctly diagnosed; and                                                                          
25       WHEREAS the average cost of misdiagnosis of Alaskans with celiac disease is                                     
26 $5,000 to $12,000 a year for each person, not including lost work time; and                                             
27       WHEREAS the Celiac Disease Foundation provides support to people with celiac                                    
28 disease through awareness, education, advocacy, and research programs and offers                                        
29 scholarships to attend gluten-free summer camps to children with celiac disease; and                                    
30       WHEREAS increased awareness of celiac disease would positively affect the lives of                              
31 Alaskans with the disease and promote early detection in adults and children so that they may                           

01 start on a gluten-free diet and more healthful living;                                                                  
02       BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature proclaims the month of                                         
03 May 2012 to be Celiac Disease Awareness Month.