Senate Resolution No. 1349

BY: Senator AKSHAR

MEMORIALIZING Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim
May 20, 2017, as Angelman Syndrome Awareness Day in
the State of New York

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

WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and fully in accord with its
long-standing traditions, it is the sense of this Legislative Body to
memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim May 20, 2017, as
Angelman Syndrome Awareness Day in the State of New York; and

WHEREAS, Angelman syndrome is a chromosomal (gene-linked) disease
that causes neurological problems; the physician Harold Angelman first
identified the syndrome in 1965, when he described several children in
his practice as having "flat heads, jerky movements, protruding tongues,
and bouts of laughter"; and

WHEREAS, Infants with Angelman syndrome appear normal at birth, but
begin to have feeding problems at 1-2 months and noticeable
developmental delays by 6 to 12 months; seizures may often begin before
the age of three; and

WHEREAS, Speech impairment is pronounced, with little to no use of
words; the syndrome is also characterized by hyperactivity, small head
size, and movement and balance disorders that can cause severe
functional deficits; and

WHEREAS, Angelman syndrome is the result of the deletion or
inactivation of a particular series of genes that regulate a protein
called ubiquitin (UBE3A) on chromosome 15q11-13; and

WHEREAS, More than 2,000 persons have been identified with Angelman
syndrome in the United States, Canada and other countries in the world,
and it is believed that more individuals with Angelman syndrome remain
undiagnosed or misdiagnosed; and

WHEREAS, 1 out of 20,000 children have this severe neurogenetic
disorder that shares symptoms and characteristics similar to those
associated with other disorders including autism, cerebral palsy, and
Prader-Willi syndrome; and

WHEREAS, A broader public awareness of Angelman syndrome has led to
a recognition that it is a more prevalent disorder than previously
thought and researchers continue to study Angelman syndrome in order to
more fully understand its origin, physical signs and symptoms, and
behavioral characteristics; and

WHEREAS, The Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics, and
Angelman Syndrome Foundation are dedicated to educating and supporting
parents and professionals dealing with Angelman syndrome, and to
developing treatments and eventually a cure; and


WHEREAS, The State of New York is committed to promoting access to
treatment and other resources for persons touched by disorders such as
Angelman syndrome, and encourages all New Yorkers to learn more about
this and other disorders and the impacts they have on our friends, loved
ones, neighbors, and co-workers; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim May 20, 2017, as
Angelman Syndrome Awareness Day in the State of New York; 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.