H*4086 Concurrent Resolution, By Allison, Alexander, Anderson, Anthony, Atwater, 
Bales, Ballentine, Bamberg, Bannister, Bedingfield, Bernstein, Bingham, Bowers, 
Bradley, Brannon, G.A. Brown, R.L. Brown, Burns, Chumley, Clary, Clemmons, 
Clyburn, Cobb-Hunter, Cole, Collins, Corley, H.A. Crawford, Crosby, Daning, 
Delleney, Dillard, Douglas, Duckworth, Erickson, Felder, Finlay, Forrester, 
Funderburk, Gagnon, Gambrell, George, Gilliard, Goldfinch, Govan, Hamilton, 
Hardee, Hardwick, Hart, Hayes, Henderson, Henegan, Herbkersman, Hicks, Hill, 
Hiott, Hixon, Hodges, Horne, Hosey, Howard, Huggins, Jefferson, Johnson, Jordan, 
Kennedy, King, Kirby, Knight, Limehouse, Loftis, Long, Lowe, Lucas, Mack, McCoy, 
McEachern, McKnight, M.S. McLeod, W.J. McLeod, Merrill, Mitchell, D.C. Moss, 
V.S. Moss, Murphy, Nanney, Neal, Newton, Norman, Norrell, Ott, Parks, Pitts, 
Pope, Putnam, Quinn, Ridgeway, Riley, Rivers, Robinson-Simpson, Rutherford, 
Ryhal, Sandifer, Simrill, G.M. Smith, G.R. Smith, J.E. Smith, Sottile, Southard, 
Spires, Stavrinakis, Stringer, Tallon, Taylor, Thayer, Tinkler, Toole, Weeks, 
Wells, Whipper, White, Whitmire, Williams, Willis and Yow
 A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION TO PROMOTE UNDERSTANDING OF THE DESTRUCTIVE EFFECTS OF
 IRON DISORDERS ON THE HEALTH OF OUR CITIZENS, TO ENCOURAGE MEDICAL RESEARCH
 AND EDUCATION TO STEM THE TIDE OF THESE DISORDERS, AND TO DECLARE THE MONTH OF
 JULY 2015 AS "IRON DISORDERS AWARENESS MONTH" IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.

   04/29/15  House  Introduced, adopted, sent to Senate
                     (House Journal-page 42)
   04/30/15  Senate Introduced (Senate Journal-page 3)
   04/30/15  Senate Referred to Committee on Medical Affairs
                     (Senate Journal-page 3)
   06/02/15  Senate Recalled from Committee on Medical Affairs
                     (Senate Journal-page 5)
   06/02/15  Senate Adopted, returned to House with concurrence
                     (Senate Journal-page 5)

TO PROMOTE UNDERSTANDING OF THE DESTRUCTIVE EFFECTS OF IRON DISORDERS ON THE HEALTH OF OUR CITIZENS, TO ENCOURAGE MEDICAL RESEARCH AND EDUCATION TO STEM THE TIDE OF THESE DISORDERS, AND TO DECLARE THE MONTH OF JULY 2015 AS "IRON DISORDERS AWARENESS MONTH" IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.

Whereas, the term "iron disorder" defines any condition of iron in the body which allows too much or too little iron for the body to function normally; and

Whereas, those who suffer from iron disorders can have many vague symptoms or health issues, including fatigue, joint pain, bone or joint disease, shortness of breath, irregular heart beat, liver trouble, diabetes, infertility, impotence, depression, mood or mental disorders, poor cognitive skills, or neurodegenerative diseases; and

Whereas, while some iron disorders are simple to detect or manage, others can consist of multiple iron disorders, disease, or other factors that create challenges or barriers to good health; and

Whereas, major iron disorders include hereditary hemochromatosis, iron deficiency anemia, anemia of chronic disease, and iron overload with or without anemia; and

Whereas, nearly half of the population in the United States is affected with an iron disorder, and South Carolina has the highest rate of genetic hemochromatosis, or iron overload, in the nation, a condition which can be fatal if left untreated; and

Whereas, teenage girls are often first diagnosed with anemia during high school blood drives but are not given proper education about their risks and the necessary diet to maintain a healthy lifestyle; and

Whereas, with proper education and medical attention, a person with an iron disorder can incorporate substances or foods to increase or improve iron absorption and can avoid foods or substances that impair that absorption; and

Whereas, some patients have other medical issues that complicate iron balance, such as sickle cell disease, thalassemia, blood diseases, and cancers, and they need to develop individual diet plans; and

Whereas, iron disorders can increase the incidence of other diseases, such as atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular diseases, metabolic syndrome, multiple visceral types of cancer, type-2 diabetes, osteoporosis and osteopenia, hepatocellular carcinoma, sarcopenia or muscle wasting, hepatitis C virus, and Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases; and

Whereas, a healthy diet of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, adequate protein, and limited dairy, fats, and sugars constitutes the basis for a good eating plan that will assist the proper absorption of iron and lower the risk of associated diseases. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:

That the members of the South Carolina General Assembly, by this resolution, promote understanding of the destructive effects of iron disorders on the health of our citizens, encourage medical research and education to stem the tide of these disorders, and declare the month of July 2015 as "Iron Disorders Awareness Month" in the State of South Carolina.