| 1 | House Resolution |
| 2 | A resolution designating March 19, 2009, as "Deep Vein |
| 3 | Thrombosis Awareness Day." |
| 4 |
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| 5 | WHEREAS, deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a common but serious |
| 6 | medical condition that occurs when a blood clot forms inside a |
| 7 | deep vein, usually in the lower limbs, leading to either |
| 8 | partially or completely blocked circulation, and |
| 9 | WHEREAS, approximately 2 million Americans are affected by |
| 10 | DVT each year and 600,000 of those are hospitalized for the |
| 11 | condition, and |
| 12 | WHEREAS, pulmonary embolism, a complication of DVT, may be |
| 13 | the most common, preventable cause of hospital death in the |
| 14 | United States, and up to 300,000 individuals who develop the |
| 15 | condition each year will die unnecessarily, more than the number |
| 16 | of Americans who die as a result of AIDS and breast cancer |
| 17 | combined, and |
| 18 | WHEREAS, symptoms of DVT may include pain, swelling and |
| 19 | increased temperature, tenderness, and discoloration or redness |
| 20 | of the affected area, yet as many as half of all DVT episodes |
| 21 | produce minimal symptoms or symptoms that are completely silent, |
| 22 | and |
| 23 | WHEREAS, national television correspondent David Bloom, who |
| 24 | reported for a Florida media station during Hurricane Andrew, |
| 25 | died of a pulmonary embolism while covering the war in Iraq, and |
| 26 | his widow, Melanie Bloom, and the more than 50 member |
| 27 | organizations of the Coalition to Prevent Deep Vein Thrombosis |
| 28 | are working to raise public awareness of this silent killer, and |
| 29 | WHEREAS, the declaration of March 19, 2009, as "Deep Vein |
| 30 | Thrombosis Awareness Day" in the State of Florida will honor the |
| 31 | memory of David Bloom, help the public understand that awareness |
| 32 | of the dangers of DVT and the preventability of the condition |
| 33 | are critical in reducing the risk of DVT, and draw attention to |
| 34 | the fact that the education of health care professionals, |
| 35 | policymakers, and the public about the risk factors and |
| 36 | prevention measures associated with DVT will reduce the number |
| 37 | of individuals who die or become disabled because of this |
| 38 | condition and its life-threatening complications, NOW, |
| 39 | THEREFORE, |
| 40 |
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| 41 | Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of |
| 42 | Florida: |
| 43 |
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| 44 | That the Florida House of Representatives designates March |
| 45 | 19, 2009, as "Deep Vein Thrombosis Awareness Day" in recognition |
| 46 | of the need to make all Florida residents aware of the dangers |
| 47 | of deep vein thrombosis. |