RECOGNIZING NOVEMBER 2025 AS "AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE AWARENESS MONTH" IN THE STATE OF DELAWARE.

Legislation Document

SPONSOR:

Sen. Hocker & Rep. Gray

Sens. Hansen, Hoffner, Huxtable, Lawson, Mantzavinos, Pettyjohn, Sokola, Wilson; Reps. Bush, Carson, Hilovsky, K. Johnson, S. Moore, Morrison, Neal, Kamela Smith, Wilson-Anton

DELAWARE STATE SENATE

153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 103

RECOGNIZING NOVEMBER 2025 AS "AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE AWARENESS MONTH" IN THE STATE OF DELAWARE.

WHEREAS, autoimmune diseases occur when the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks its healthy tissues and organs, resulting in chronic and potentially disabling conditions; and

WHEREAS, autoimmune diseases can affect any part of the body - including the skin, joints, connective tissues, blood vessels, muscles, endocrine glands, and multiple organ systems - and may be life-threatening; and

WHEREAS, there are more than 80 types of autoimmune diseases, many of which share similar symptoms, and some of which are associated with an increased risk of developing multiple autoimmune conditions; and

WHEREAS, the most common autoimmune diseases include type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, Crohn’s disease, psoriasis, and scleroderma; and

WHEREAS, autoimmune diseases affect approximately 50 million Americans according to the American Autoimmune Related Disease Association (AARDA), with women affected at nearly twice the rate of men; and

WHEREAS, according to National Institutes of Health (NIH), autoimmune disease is among the top ten leading causes of death in American girls and women up to 64 years of age; and

WHEREAS, the Institute of Medicine has reported that the United States lags behind other countries in research related to immune system self-recognition, the process involved in autoimmune disease; and

WHEREAS, diagnostic testing for most autoimmune diseases is not standardized, making them especially difficult to diagnose; and

WHEREAS, the NIH estimates that annual direct health care costs for autoimmune disease are in the range of $100 billion; and

WHEREAS, there is a significant need for research focused on the etiology of autoimmune diseases in order to better understand their root causes, rather than only treating symptoms after the disease has progressed; and

WHEREAS, recognizing November 2025 as “Autoimmune Disease Awareness Month” in the State of Delaware would help educate the public about autoimmune diseases and the urgent need for research funding, accurate diagnosis, and effective treatment.

NOW, THEREFORE:

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the 153rd General Assembly of the State of Delaware, the House of Representatives concurring therein, that November 2025 is hereby recognized as “Autoimmune Disease Awareness Month” in the State of Delaware.

SYNOPSIS

This Senate Concurrent Resolution recognizes November 2025 as "Autoimmune Disease Awareness Month" in the State of Delaware.

Author: Senator Hocker