WHEREAS, An estimated 135,000 individuals in the United States — .05 percent of the population of our country — have narcolepsy, a neurological sleep disorder for which there is no cure and whose cause is not well understood; and
     WHEREAS, More than half of these 135,000 individuals remain undiagnosed; and
     WHEREAS, Narcolepsy is a chronic disorder which causes excessive daytime sleepiness, cataplexy (loss of muscle tone), hypnagogic hallucinations, sleep paralysis, and disrupted nighttime sleep in women, men, and children of all ethnic backgrounds; and
     WHEREAS, The quality of life of narcolepsy patients, even with treatment, is significantly reduced; and
     WHEREAS, Patients with this disorder experience excessive daytime sleepiness, sudden and uncontrollable sleep attacks, loss of muscle tone triggered by emotional stimuli, realistic and frightening hallucinations upon waking or falling asleep, an inability to move when they awaken, automatic behavior, and disrupted nighttime sleep; and
     WHEREAS, It often takes an average of ten years to receive a diagnosis of narcolepsy, and medical professionals frequently are inadequately educated on the diagnosis and treatment of narcolepsy; and
     WHEREAS, Increased awareness and expanded knowledge of the realities of life with narcolepsy will allow the community at large to better support people who struggle with the challenges of this chronic neurological disorder; and
     WHEREAS, Narcolepsy Network is a nonprofit charitable organization serving the needs of patients with narcolepsy and their family members, friends, and care providers; and
     WHEREAS, Narcolepsy Network and other groups around our country have joined together to promote narcolepsy awareness and support — including improved education, diagnosis, research, and treatment; and
     WHEREAS, Narcolepsy Network is urging narcolepsy patients and their supporters, health care providers, and the general public to demonstrate their caring by sharing the road patients walk, the facts about narcolepsy, and ever-growing awareness about the cause of this disorder and potential treatments; and
     WHEREAS, The community's focus on narcolepsy and its impact on patients' lives will help guarantee hope for a better future for people with narcolepsy;
     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize the needs of these chronically affected people and urge all of our citizens to support the search for the cause, cure, and prevention of narcolepsy and assist those individuals and families who deal with this devastating disorder on a daily basis.