Washington - Today US Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) praised the Senate passage of a resolution he introduced earlier this year to designate May as National Prader-Willi Syndrome Awareness Month (S.RES.543), raise public awareness, and support scientific research on the disorder. Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS) is a complex genetic disorder and debilitating condition that distorts hunger and satiety cues, causing individuals to overeat and often resulting in morbid obesity if not closely monitored. In addition to obesity, PWS usually causes mild to moderate intellectual disabilities, speech abnormalities, short stature, scoliosis, sleep disturbances with excessive daytime sleepiness, an abnormally high pain threshold, and infertility. The resolution was co-sponsored by Senators Benjamin Cardin (D-MD) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT).

"Prader-Willi is a devastating but rarely-known condition that disrupts 1 in every 15,000 lives, including the lives of more than 200 New Jerseyans," said Menendez. "With passage of this resolution, the U.S. Senate has officially established May as National Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS) Awareness Month, and I am proud to have led that effort. Our hope is that this resolution will bring awareness and education about PWS and encourage continued research of this syndrome."

While PSW is a rare disorder that affects only 1 in 15,000 newborns, studies have shown that affected individuals have a high mortality rate, require early intervention, in addition to close and constant monitoring of their health. Given that most of its causes and symptoms remain widely misunderstood and therefore untreated, this resolution will help promote the necessary research to further understand the disorder and improve the quality of life for individuals that suffer the condition.

Click here to read the full resolution: http://menendez.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/PraderWilliResolution.pdf

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