Proceedings and Debates of the 105th Congress, First Session. Vol. 143, No. 62. Pages H2569-H2570.
Representative Michael P. Forbes (R) - 1st Congressional District - NY
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing that yesterday, Monday, May 12, 1997, was International Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome Awareness Day.
We in the Congress must realize the need to heighten public awareness of this most debilitating, yet still largely ignored, disease that caring medical experts believe strikes a conservative number of Americans, 2 to 5 million annualy, and an estimated 11,000 individuals in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.
First brought to the public's attention in 1984 during an outbreak at Lake Tahoe, NV, the number of Chronic Fatigue sufferers has grown dramatically. That is due, in part, because more physicians are being trained to identify the symptoms of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and, in addition, some physicians have understood that Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and it's symptoms are better understood today than they have been in the past.
Unfortunately, a shocking number of physicians still believe that the disease really is not a disease such as this, but it is depression. They often tell their patients to just snap out of it. This has really added a burden on a lot of Americans, particularly those who reside in my part of the world, on Long Island, and we have an unbelievable number of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome sufferers.
Over the last 2 years, I have met with many of these individuals who are really waging a valiant battle, not only to try to educate more and more physicians that this is a very real disease, but also to bring greater public awareness and resourses to the research of this malady and to find a cure. It is absolutely heartbreaking to see parents and neighbors, spouses and children, or anyone suffering from the enduring pain and pervasive weakness of chronic fatigue, to see vibrant, energetic people all of a sudden stricken with a mysterious ailment that medical professional cannot cure and, unfortunately, too many others think is something else or choose to ignore this Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
I am particularly shocked that here in The United States, where this disease has been known since 1984, we are spending a paltry $5 million annualy to try to figure out where this disease comes from and specifically how can we treat it. I would also reference the fact that while there are very few successful treatments for this terrible disease, those that doctors do employ quite honestly have a marginal effectiveness. For reaseons that researchers still do not understand, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is diagnosed mostly in white women, typically in their 30's, though now there are a growing number of children who have been identified with having Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
In my home area on eastern Long Island, this cruel disease has stricken, as I said earlier, a disproportionate number of people. There are some 2000 cases that have been identified, but I would suggest that the number is probably three times that.
Mr. Speaker, I yield at this time, if I could, to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Lazio), my good friend and colleague from Long Island who has some personal experience with this dreaded disease.
Representative Rick Lazio (R) - 2nd Congressional District - NY
Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate the gentleman from New York (Mr. Lazio), on taking this time out to help build an awareness across our country of the struggles that families and individuals suffering with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome are going through.
As the gentleman had remarked, it is particularly hurtful when people who do not understand the syndrome mock their ailment or the illness because of a lack of information about this. Of course this also has a devastating effect on the children of some of the caregivers who have CFS. It is a very difficult problem.
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