LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION memorializing Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to
proclaim May 8-15, 2016, as Fibromyalgia Awareness Week in the State of
New York

WHEREAS, An estimated 10 million people in the United States, and an
estimated 3-6 percent of the world's population, have been diagnosed
with Fibromyalgia (FM), an illness for which there is yet no known cause
or cure; and
WHEREAS, A chronic syndrome that is increasing at alarming rates,
Fibromyalgia causes debilitating widespread pain and fatigue, appears to
have a genetic component, and occurs in women, men, and children of all
ethnicities; and
WHEREAS, Patients with Fibromyalgia often have to learn to live with
widespread pain throughout their bodies, extreme fatigue, sleep disor-
ders, stiffness and weakness, migraine headaches, numbness and tingling,
and impairment of memory and concentration; and
WHEREAS, It often takes an average of five years to receive a diagno-
sis of Fibromyalgia, and medical professionals frequently are inade-
quately educated regarding the diagnosis and treatment of Fibromyalgia;
and
WHEREAS, A 2007 study found that FM patients spend between $100-$1,000
per month above insurance costs to see healthcare providers. Costs in
the United States are estimated between $12-14 billion per year and
account for loss of 1-2% of the nation's productivity; and
WHEREAS, According to a survey of 1,168 FM patients, 25% had received
disability payments, and total healthcare costs may be 2-3 times higher
than patients without FM; failure to diagnose and adequately treat
Fibromyalgia has deep financial implications for patients and for the
healthcare system; and
WHEREAS, According to a fact sheet provided by the National Fibromyal-
gia Association, 90% of physicians agree there is a need for more physi-
cian oriented information, and 82% of physicians agree that FM is diffi-
cult to treat with currently available tools; use of complementary and
alternative medicine is 2 1/2 times higher in FM patients; and
WHEREAS, Increased awareness and expanded knowledge of the realities
of life with Fibromyalgia will allow the community at large to better
support people who struggle with the challenges of this chronic pain
disorder; and
WHEREAS, A nonprofit charitable organization, the National Fibromyal-
gia and Chronic Pain Association (NFMCPA) has joined together with other
groups around the country, including the International Institute For
Human Empowerment, Inc., based in New York State, to promote Fibromyal-
gia awareness and support, including improved education, diagnosis,
research and treatment; and
WHEREAS, The International Institute For Human Empowerment, Inc.
(IIHE), a non-profit organization in the Capital District of New York,
is the sponsor of various Fibromyalgia awareness events, as well as, the
Select Empowerment Seminar report: "Fibromyalgia: Awareness, Advocacy,
and Action", encouraging the medical community, patients, employers,
government health and human rights agencies, educators, and caregivers,
to work together to support and improve the lives of Fibromyalgia
patients; and
WHEREAS, The International Institute For Human Empowerment, through
the leadership of its Founder and Executive Director Sue Shipe, Ph.D.,
recently initiated a Fibromyalgia Task Force with the stated intentions:
to secure support for a new edition of "Fibromyalgia: Awareness, Advoca-
cy and Action", of which 5,000 reports have already been distributed

locally, nationally, and internationally; to create a scholarship for
Fibromyalgia patients to access complementary therapies which are not
covered by insurance; and to provide continued public conferences
regarding new research findings regarding Fibromyalgia; and
WHEREAS, To address the concern that the average time to Fibromyalgia
diagnosis is five years, the Fibromyalgia Task Force will provide Legis-
lative awareness, and seek Legislative action, to improve physician
education by supporting medical schools in New York State to provide
Fibromyalgia education for physicians; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body recognizes the generous efforts of two
of its outstanding citizens on behalf of Fibromyalgia patients residing
in New York State: Dorota L. Hausner-Sypek, M.D., of the Center for
Rheumatology, Bone and Joint Center, Albany, New York, supports many
patients with Fibromyalgia and other Rheumatic illnesses, and collab-
orates with the International Institute For Human Empowerment in
distributing to patients and other physicians copies of the report:
"Fibromyalgia: Awareness, Advocacy and Action"; she has spoken at, and
has been a resource for Fibromyalgia Conferences in the Capital District
of New York; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body recognizes the critical work of Social
Security Disability Attorney Ira Mendleson, III, Esq., of Buckley,
Mendleson, Criscione and Quinn, P.C., of Albany, New York, for providing
outstanding service to Fibromyalgia patients; Mr. Mendleson presented at
the Select Empowerment Seminar on Fibromyalgia in regard to the applica-
tion process for Social Security Disability; contributed an expert arti-
cle for the report, "Fibromyalgia: Awareness, Advocacy and Action"; and
has presented at Fibromyalgia conferences in the Capital District of New
York; Mr. Mendleson is also a valuable resource on the Fibromyalgia
Task Force of the International Institute For Human Empowerment; and
WHEREAS, The work of Dorota L. Hausner-Sypek, M.D., and Ira Mendleson,
III, Esq., is greatly valued, especially by those patients whose lives,
families and careers have been disrupted by Fibromyalgia; and
WHEREAS, Medical research in the Capital District of New York is
making significant progress in the area of Fibromyalgia and chronic
pain, and deserves the support of the people of New York; and
WHEREAS, The community's focus on Fibromyalgia and its impact on
patients' lives will help guarantee hope for a better future for people
with Fibromyalgia; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body recognizes the needs of those chron-
ically ill people who suffer from Fibromyalgia, and urges all of our
.SO DOC S R4985 RESO TEXT 2015
citizens to support the search for a cure and assist those individuals
and families who deal with this devastating syndrome on a daily basis;
now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim May 8-15, 2016, as
Fibromyalgia Awareness Week in the State of New York; and be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of New
York; the International Institute For Human Empowerment, Inc.; the
Center for Rheumatology, Bone and Joint Center, Albany, New York; and
Buckley, Mendleson, Criscione and Quinn, P.C., Albany, New York.