Rockwall Mayor issues Dysautonomia Awareness Month Proclamation

(ROCKWALL, TX – Oct. 21, 2016) Mayor Jim Pruitt recently issued a proclamation recognizing October 2016 as “Dysautonomia Awareness Month” in the City of Rockwall.

Rockwall mom Nicole Watson, a Dysautonomia International volunteer said, “This disease has turned my daughter Regan’s world upside down. Despite that, our purpose in life is to help others impacted by raising awareness and understanding for dysautonomia. This also helps Regan know she isn’t alone in this fight.”

Regan is a junior at Rockwall High School. She was diagnosed with POTS in her freshman year.

“She went from an active teen, a competitive equestrian and honor student, to struggling to get out of bed most days. October is Dysautonomia awareness month and we wish to raise awareness in hopes of helping others,” Nicole said.

Dysautonomia is an umbrella term used to describe various medical conditions that cause a malfunction of the autonomic nervous system. The autonomic nerves control the “automatic” functions of the body that we do not consciously think about, such as heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, dilation and constriction of the pupils of the eye, temperature control, and more. People living with various forms of dysautonomia have trouble regulating these systems, which can result in light-headedness, fainting, unstable blood pressure, abnormal heart rates, malnutrition, and in severe cases, death.

According to Lauren Stiles, president of Dysautonomia International, “Over 70 million people worldwide live with a form of dysautonomia. There is no cure for any form of dysautonomia at this time, but Dysautonomia International is funding research to develop better treatments, and hopefully someday a cure.”

“Despite the high prevalence of autonomic nervous system disorders, many patients take years to get diagnosed due to a lack of awareness amongst the public and within the medical profession,” explains Dr. Paola Sandroni, Professor of Neurology at Mayo Clinic, who volunteers on Dysautonomia International’s Medical Advisory Board.

Since its founding in 2012, Dysautonomia International, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, has been working to increase public awareness of dysautonomia. The organization started the global Dysautonomia Awareness Month campaign that is celebrated annually during the month of October. With the help of community members, Dysautonomia International organizes landmark lightings, 5K runs, fundraising galas, proclamations, social media campaigns and other awareness activities.

To learn more or to get involved, visit dysautonomiainternational.org.