00                   HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 4                                                                    
01 Proclaiming May 2025 as Myositis Awareness Month.                                                                       
02 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                               
03       WHEREAS nearly one in 10 Americans has a rare disease, and residents of the state                               
04 are among those affected by myositis and other rare diseases; and                                                       
05 WHEREAS idiopathic inflammatory myopathies, collectively referred to as myositis,                                     
06 are rare, chronic, autoimmune muscle-wasting diseases, can cause debilitating muscle                                    
07 inflammation, pain, fatigue, and trouble swallowing, and can result in myositis-associated                              
08 interstitial lung disease; and                                                                                          
09       WHEREAS more research is needed to identify the causes of myositis and modes of                                 
10 treatments for the myositis group of diseases, including anti-melanoma differentiation-                                 
11 associated gene 5 dermatomyositis, antisynthetase syndrome, dermatomyositis, juvenile                                   
12 myositis, necrotizing autoimmune myopathy, inclusion body myositis, and polymyositis; and                               
13       WHEREAS, because myositis is difficult to diagnose, treatment is often delayed and                              
14 individuals who have myositis often experience difficulty finding a health care provider with                           
15 expertise in the disease; and                                                                                           
16       WHEREAS individuals who suffer from myositis experience a reduced quality of life                               

01 and a shortened life expectancy from complications related to myositis, especially those with                           
02 inclusion body myositis, and no cure has been found; and                                                                
03       WHEREAS The Myositis Association is the leading international patient advocacy                                  
04 organization serving the myositis community, with a focus on patient services, education,                               
05 research, and public awareness to achieve a world without myositis; and                                                 
06       WHEREAS The Myositis Association is organizing a nationwide observance of                                       
07 myositis awareness for the month of May 2025;                                                                           
08       BE IT RESOLVED the Alaska State Legislature encourages residents of the state to                                
09 come together, learn about the symptoms and types of myositis, and support individuals and                              
10 families in local communities who are affected by myositis and can benefit from greater                                 
11 awareness of these rare diseases; and be it                                                                             
12       FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature proclaims the month of                                       
13 May 2025 as Myositis Awareness Month.