Make March the Official Month for Fibromuscular Dysplasia Awareness in Oregon

The Issue

"Approximately 4-5% of Americans, especially women, need to be educated about a life threatening disease that often goes undiagnosed." Fibromuscular Dysplasia (FMD) has personally affected my mother and has permanently altered her life. As a child, multiple bloody noses later, she had undiagnosed hypertension that led to an aneurysm. Through extensive research my mother’s severe pediatric hypertension ultimately led to her diagnosis.

Education of FMD is imperative because there is no known cause or cure. The progressive stricture of the blood vessels throughout the body can lead to the atrophy and failure of organs. This eventually led to my mother’s kidney failure and removal. FMD is on an ongoing medical investigation in patients; one that I hope to help with when I become a radiologist.

"Fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD) is a disease that causes abnormal cell growth of the arterial wall. FMD can lead to areas of narrowing (stenosis), beading, aneurysms, and dissections (tears) of the arterial wall. Until recently, there has been very little progress made in understanding the disease since it was first diagnosed in 1938. There is no known cause or cure for the disease and there are no set protocols to treat the disease. Many researchers now believe FMD is an under-diagnosed disease. Some of the data suggest that 4-5% of the population may be affected by the disease.

Patients and their families, like my own, must bear a large share of the burden for things such as educating others, including their own physicians, and raising funds for awareness and research. Patients often experience problems such as a sense of isolation, difficulty in obtaining accurate and timely diagnosis, and optimal treatment options.

I strongly believe the Resolution of Fibromuscular Dysplasia Month will increase awareness, improve the delay in diagnosis, lead to better treatment and improve the lives of patients and families affected by the disease."

I would like to ask you to sign the petition today to make March the official awareness month for FMD.

Thank you,
Mackenzie Peterson
Age 14
For more information and my reference for facts/statistics please visit:
http://www.fmdsa.org/get_involved/become_a_member

This petition had 29 supporters

The Issue

"Approximately 4-5% of Americans, especially women, need to be educated about a life threatening disease that often goes undiagnosed." Fibromuscular Dysplasia (FMD) has personally affected my mother and has permanently altered her life. As a child, multiple bloody noses later, she had undiagnosed hypertension that led to an aneurysm. Through extensive research my mother’s severe pediatric hypertension ultimately led to her diagnosis.

Education of FMD is imperative because there is no known cause or cure. The progressive stricture of the blood vessels throughout the body can lead to the atrophy and failure of organs. This eventually led to my mother’s kidney failure and removal. FMD is on an ongoing medical investigation in patients; one that I hope to help with when I become a radiologist.

"Fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD) is a disease that causes abnormal cell growth of the arterial wall. FMD can lead to areas of narrowing (stenosis), beading, aneurysms, and dissections (tears) of the arterial wall. Until recently, there has been very little progress made in understanding the disease since it was first diagnosed in 1938. There is no known cause or cure for the disease and there are no set protocols to treat the disease. Many researchers now believe FMD is an under-diagnosed disease. Some of the data suggest that 4-5% of the population may be affected by the disease.

Patients and their families, like my own, must bear a large share of the burden for things such as educating others, including their own physicians, and raising funds for awareness and research. Patients often experience problems such as a sense of isolation, difficulty in obtaining accurate and timely diagnosis, and optimal treatment options.

I strongly believe the Resolution of Fibromuscular Dysplasia Month will increase awareness, improve the delay in diagnosis, lead to better treatment and improve the lives of patients and families affected by the disease."

I would like to ask you to sign the petition today to make March the official awareness month for FMD.

Thank you,
Mackenzie Peterson
Age 14
For more information and my reference for facts/statistics please visit:
http://www.fmdsa.org/get_involved/become_a_member

The Decision Makers

Oregon House of Representatives
5 Members
1 Responded
Susan McLain
Oregon House of Representatives - District 29
Hello community members, I want to thank you for signing Change.org petition to end bullying in private schools. I was moved by Jesse Azzopardi’s story about her son’s bullying experience, and admire her courage and initiative to share her story with the community. I want to affirm my belief in ending bullying in both public or private schools. As a former teacher, I know there is nothing more important than building strong schools for our children. Everyone should receive a quality education and have the opportunity to reach their full potential, that includes ensuring a safe and supportive learning environment. Bullying is a serious problem that must be addressed by Oregon legislators and school districts. All schools need to tackle this problem with workshops that educate students on the effects of bullying and help teach students a healthier way to interact with one another. By doing so, we are preventing traumatic experiences and ensuring all students feel safe. I am supportive of legislation to build a no tolerance policy toward bullying, and will help in my capacity as a state legislator to further this conversation. Again, thank you for your engagement. I appreciate your advocacy and the time you have taken to voice your support for Jesse and her son, as well as your support to end bullying in all schools. I will keep them in mind going forward into the next Legislative Session. Sincerely, Representative Susan McLain Oregon House District 29
Gregory Smith
Oregon House of Representatives - District 57
Paul Evans
Oregon House of Representatives - District 20
Former State House of Representatives
32 Members
Barbara Smith Warner
Former State House of Representatives - Oregon-45
Peter Buckley
Former State House of Representatives - Oregon-5
Greg Barreto
Former State House of Representatives - Oregon-58
Former State Senate
2 Members
Cliff Bentz
Former State Senate - Oregon-30
Dallas Heard
Former State Senate - Oregon-1
Oregon State Senate
2 Members
Kathleen Taylor
Oregon State Senate - District 21
Lew Frederick
Oregon State Senate - District 22
Paul Holvey
Former Oregon House of Representatives - District 8

Petition Updates