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Week Ending March 4, 2005

Senate Resolution 56 designating the month of March as Deep Vein Thrombosis Awareness month in memory of journalist David Bloom.

BRIEF

   Blood clots that form in large veins can result in serious illness and death as evidenced by the sudden death of journalist David Bloom as he was covering the war in Iraq last year. Mr. Bloom joined 2 million Americans with the condition and 200,000 who die of the condition each year.

   The Resolution honors the memory of David Bloom and designates March as ‘Deep-Vein Thrombosis Awareness Month.’

Sponsor: Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA)

Vote: Passed Senate by Unanimous Consent.

Cost to the taxpayers: No discernible cost.

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MORE INFORMATION

SRES 56

Designating the month of March as Deep-Vein Thrombosis Awareness Month, in memory of journalist David Bloom.

Whereas deep-vein thrombosis is a condition that occurs when a blood clot forms in one of the large veins, which may result in a fatal pulmonary embolism;

Whereas deep-vein thrombosis is a serious but preventable medical condition;

Whereas deep-vein thrombosis occurs in approximately 2,000,000 Americans every year;

Whereas fatal pulmonary embolism causes more deaths each year than breast cancer and AIDS combined;

Whereas complications from deep-vein thrombosis take up to 200,000 American lives each year;

Whereas fatal pulmonary embolism may be the most common preventable cause of hospital death in the United States;

Whereas the risk factors for deep-vein thrombosis include cancer and certain heart or respiratory diseases;

Whereas pulmonary embolism is the leading cause of maternal death associated with childbirth;

Whereas, according to a survey conducted by the American Public Health Association, 74 percent of Americans are unaware of deep-vein thrombosis;

Whereas National Broadcasting Company correspondent David Bloom died of a fatal pulmonary embolism while covering the war in Iraq;

Whereas Melanie Bloom, widow of David Bloom, and more than 35 members of the Coalition to Prevent Deep-Vein Thrombosis are working to raise awareness of this silent killer; and

Whereas the establishment of March as Deep-Vein Thrombosis Awareness Month in honor of David Bloom would raise public awareness about this life-threatening but preventable condition: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Senate--

(1) designates the month of March as `Deep-Vein Thrombosis Awareness Month';

(2) honors the memory of David Bloom; and

(3) recognizes the importance of raising awareness of deep-vein thrombosis.

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No reproduction or distribution without written permission from TheWeekInCongress.com.