Declaration brings attention to little-known maladyAssemblywoman Sharon Runner joined Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich, Supervisor Don Knabe and the Board of Directors of the Southern California Chapter of the Scleroderma Foundation at Wednesday’s Los Angeles Board of Supervisors meeting to recognize June as Scleroderma Awareness Month throughout Los Angeles County.

 “Scleroderma is not widely known so I am pleased that people are becoming more aware of this important health issue,” Runner said.

Scleroderma is an autoimmune disease that affects the body’s connective tissue, which supports the skin and internal organs.  The purpose of the body’s immune system is to fight infection and disease; however, with scleroderma, the immune system attacks the healthy connective tissue as well.

In addition, Runner introduced Assembly Concurrent Resolution 142 today to proclaim June as Scleroderma Awareness Month in the state of California. 

There are an estimated 300,000 Americans that have scleroderma and nearly 80 percent of those with the disease are women.  Scleroderma can be found in every age group from infants to the elderly.

“My hope is that more research will be conducted to determine the cause of scleroderma and develop more effective treatment options to help the thousands of people living with the condition,” Runner said. 

Nearly as many people have scleroderma as multiple sclerosis yet research funding is substantially less for scleroderma.

For more information, please visit the Scleroderma Foundation at www.scleroderma.org.