,,iv  #aae? ,,congress  #b;d ,session   
,h4 ,,res4 #hdb  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(     
,,repres5tatives  ,april #bd1 #bjah,mr4 
,pauls5 7= himself & ,mr4 ,bi%op (      
,mi*igan7 submitt$ ! foll[+ resolution2 
:i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on         
,ov]sight & ,gov]nm5t ,re=m             
,,resolution  ,recogniz+ ,m5+itis ,b    
,aw>5ess ,day4  ,:]eas x is ! cu/om ( ! 
,h\se ( ,repres5tatives to increase     
aw>5ess ( s]i\s illnesses t affect !    
lives ( ,unit$ ,/ates citiz5s2 ,:]eas   
m5+ococcal disease1 m commonly ref]r$ to
 z bact]ial m5+itis1 is any infection   
caus$ by ! bact]ium ,neiss]ia m5+itidis2
 ,:]eas m5+ococcal disease is uncommon2 
h[ev]1 :5 x /rikes1 its flu-l symptoms  
make diagnosis difficult2 ,:]eas        
m5+ococcal disease c cause s]i\s        
illness1 su* z infection ( ! l9+ ( !    
bra9 & sp9al column 7m5+itis7 or blood  
infections 7sepsis72 ,:]eas ! disease   
/rikes quickly & c lead to sev]e or     
p]man5t disabilities1 su* z he>+ loss1  
bra9 damage1 seizures1 & limb           

amputation1 or ev5 lead to dea? )9 #bd  
to #dh h\rs2 ,:]eas1 al?\gh #a 9 #aj p  
are c>ri]s = ?is bact]ia ) no signs or  
symptoms ( disease1 sometimes ,neiss]ia 
m5+itidis bact]ia c cause illness2      
,:]eas !re are diff]5t /ra9s ( bact]ial 
m5+itis1 includ+ s]ogr\ps ,a1 ,c1 ,w1   
,y1 & ,b1 & vacc9es exi/ to help provide
 protection aga9/ all ! s]ogr\ps        
commonly se5 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates2 ,:]eas !
 s+le be/ way to help prev5t all common 
/ra9s ( m5+ococcal disease is to be     
vacc9at$ ) bo? a ,men,a,c,w,y vacc9e & a
 sep>ate ,men,b vacc9e2 ,:]eas          
m5+ococcal disease is spread f p]son to 
p]son via ! ex*ange ( ! bact]ia ?r\gh   
respiratory & ?roat secretions dur+     
close or l5g?y contact1 su* z %>+       
bev]ages or eat+ ut5sils1 kiss+1 or     
sp5d+ "t 9 close contact ) someone :o is
 sick or :o c>ries ! bact]ia2 ,:]eas    
community sett+s 9 :i* l>ge gr\ps ( p   
ga!r1 l college campuses1 c increase !  
risk ( ! spread ( m5+ococcal disease2   
,:]eas1 because ( ! way m5+itis is      

spread ?r\gh close p]sonal contact1 !   
social behavior ( "y adults ages #ag to 
#bc increases _! risk ( contract+ !     
disease2 ,:]eas /ud5ts 9 dormitory      
sett+s & cr[d$ ev5ts are p>ticul>ly     
vuln]able to m5+ococcal disease2 ,:]eas 
:ile vacc9es = s]ogr\ps ,a1 ,c1 ,w1 & ,y
 h be5 available = _m ye>s1 prior to    
#bjad1 !re 7 no vacc9es available =     
s]ogr\p ,b2 ,:]eas despite ! exi/5ce ( a
 s]ogr\p ,b vacc9e1 m5+itis ,b has be5  
responsible = all ,unit$ ,/ates college 
campus outbreaks s9ce #bjaa1 ) "s cases 
result+ 9 dea?2 ,:]eas because ! ,b /ra9
 ( m5+itis requires a new1 sep>ate      
vacc9ation1 /ud5ts head+ to college may 
mi/ak5ly ?9k t if !y receiv$ !          
,men,a,c,w,y vacc9e t !y are protect$   
aga9/ all /ra9s & may n realize !y are n
 protect$ aga9/ ! ,b /ra92 ,:]eas       
accord+ to ! ,c5t]s = ,disease ,control 
& ,prev5tion1 ,neiss]ia m5+itidis       
s]ogr\p ,b acc\nts = approximately half 
( all m5+ococcal cases among p]sons ages
 #ag to #bc ye>s 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates2     

,:]eas vacc9ation = s]ogr\ps ,a1 ,c1 ,w1
 & ,y is r\t9ely recomm5d$ by ! ,c5t]s =
 ,disease ,control & ,prev5tion2 ,:]eas 
! ,c5t]s = ,disease ,control &          
,prev5tion's ,advisory ,committee on    
,immunization ,practices 7,,acip7       
recomm5ds t decisions to vacc9ate       
adolesc5ts & "y adults #af ?r\gh #bc    
ye>s ( age aga9/ s]ogr\p ,b m5+ococcal  
disease %\ld be made at ! individual    
level ) heal? c>e provid]s2 ,:]eas      
m5+itis vacc9es are cov]$ by public &   
private insurance plans1 & individuals  
are enc\rag$ to contact _! heal?        
insurance plan to det]m9e cov]age (     
,men,a,c,w,y & ,men,b vacc9es2 ,:]eas ! 
,f$]al ,vacc9es = ,*ildr5 7,,vfc7       
program w cov] bo? ,men,a,c,w,y & ,men,b
 vacc9es = *ildr5 & adults :o h no heal?
 insurance or ^: heal? insurance does n 
cov] ^! vacc9es1 z well z = *ildr5 less 
?an #ai ye>s ( age :o are ,am]ican      
,indian or ,alaska ,native or eligible =
 ,m$icaid or o!r ,/ate heal? plan       
cov]age2 ,:]eas ,kimb]ly ,c(fey 0 #ag & 

a high s*ool s5ior on ,long ,isl& :5 %e 
di$ f m5+itis ,b 9 #bjab 7be=e m5+itis  
,b vacc9es 7 available 9 ! ,unit$       
,/ates72 ,:]eas ,kimb]ly's "m1 ,patti   
,wukovits1 ,r4,n41 creat$ ! ,kimb]ly    
,c(fey ,f\ndation &1 today1 ?is vital   
organization rema9s true to its mission 
9 provid+ education to ! public & heal? 
c>e pr(essionals ab\t m5+ococcal disease
 & advocat+ = two types ( m5+ococcal    
vacc9ation2 ,:]eas ! ,kimb]ly ,c(fey    
,f\ndation's goal is to ensure t no o!r 
family w endure ! loss ( a *ild or h a  
lov$ "o exp]i5ce ! deva/at+ effects (   
m5+ococcal disease2 ,:]eas ,june #ae1   
#bjah1 m>ks ! six? anniv]s>y ( ,kimb]ly 
,c(fey's dea?2 ,:]eas ,emily ,/illman 0 
a #ai-ye>-old sophomore at ,kalamazoo   
,college 9 ,kalamazoo1 ,mi*igan1 :5 %e  
tragically contract$ bact]ial m5+itis   
7be=e m5+itis ,b vacc9es 7 available 9 !
 ,unit$ ,/ates72 ,:]eas1 on ,febru>y #b1
 #bjac1 aft] j #cf h\rs 9 ! hospital1   
,emily pass$ away2 ,:]eas ,emily's "m1  
,alicia1 creat$ ! ,emily ,/illman       

,f\ndation 9 #bjad to pres]ve ! memory (
 ,emily ,nicole ,/illman & to advocate =
 organ_/tissue donation & = ! increas$  
availability ( m5+itis ,b vacc9es =     
*ildr52 ,:]eas /ud5ts1 p>5ts1 educators1
 & heal? c>e provid]s ne$ to "k ab\t all
 /ra9s ( m5+itis & h[ to protect aga9/  
all /ra9s2 & ,:]eas ,april #bd1 #bjah1  
%\ld be consid]$ ,national ,m5+itis ,b  
,aw>5ess ,day3 ,n[1 !re=e1 be x  ,t !   
,h\se ( ,repres5tatives recognizes      
,m5+itis ,b ,aw>5ess ,day4