LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION memorializing Governor David A. Paterson to
declare June 2009 as Aphasia Awareness Month in the State of New York

WHEREAS, Aphasia is a communication impairment caused by brain damage,
typically resulting from a stroke; and
WHEREAS, While aphasia is most often the result of stroke or brain
injury, it can also occur in other neurological disorders, such as in
the case of a brain tumor; and
WHEREAS, Many people with aphasia also have weakness or paralysis in
their right leg and right arm, usually due to damage to the left hemi-
sphere of the brain, which controls language and movement on the right
side of the body; and
WHEREAS, The effects of aphasia may include a loss or reduction in
ability to speak, comprehend, read, and write, while intelligence
remains intact; and
WHEREAS, Stroke is the third largest cause of death, ranking behind
heart disease and all forms of cancer; and
WHEREAS, Stroke is a leading cause of serious, long-term disability in
the United States; and
WHEREAS, There are approximately 5 million stroke survivors alive
today; and
WHEREAS, It is estimated that there are about 750,000 strokes per year
in the United States, with approximately one third of these resulting in
aphasia; and
WHEREAS, Aphasia affects at least 1,000,000 people in the United
States, and more than 200,000 Americans acquire the disorder each year;
and
WHEREAS, The mission of the National Aphasia Association (NAA) is to
educate the public to know that the word aphasia describes an impairment
of the ability to communicate, not an impairment of intellect; and
WHEREAS, NAA makes people with aphasia, their families, support
systems and health care professionals aware of the resources to recover
lost skills to the extent possible to compensate for skills that will
not be recovered and to minimize the psychosocial impact of the language
impairment; and
WHEREAS, As an advocacy organization for people with aphasia and their
caregivers, NAA envisions a society in which aphasia is a commonly
understood word and where there are resources available for educating
people with aphasia, their families, health professionals and the public
on how people with aphasia can reclaim their quality of life; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize Governor David A. Paterson to declare June 2009 as Aphasia
Awareness Month in the State of New York; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to The Honorable David A. Paterson, Governor of the State of New
York.