Proclamation 5116 -- Lupus Awareness Week, 1983
October 13, 1983
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
Systemic lupus erthematosus (also known as lupus, or SLE) is a serious, potentially fatal, connective tissue disease that can affect many different organs of the body. More than 500,000 Americans are estimated to have lupus, approximately 90 percent of whom are women. The disease usually begins in adolescence or young adult life.
Scientists believe that lupus is caused by disturbances in the body's immune system; hormonal abnormalities and genetic factors also seem to be important. In its systemic form, the disease may involve the skin, joints, kidneys, heart, lungs and brain, in varying combinations.
The outlook for victims of lupus has been improving in recent years. The survival rate has increased as a result of greater awareness of the disease, improved diagnostic methods, and more effective treatments. However, new research findings and new approaches to diagnosis and improved treatment are urgently needed to eliminate lupus as a cause of human suffering. The Federal government and private voluntary organizations have developed a strong, enduring partnership committed to lupus research. I am confident that this cooperation will hasten the time when the cause and cure for the disease will be found.
In recognition of the progress being made in research, diagnostic methods and effective treatments for the cure and alleviation of lupus, and the need for greater public awareness of this disease, the Congress, by Senate Joint Resolution 102, has authorized and requested the President to proclaim the week of October 16 through October 22, 1983, as ``Lupus Awareness Week.''
Now, Therefore, I, Ronald Reagan, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim the week of October 16 through October 22, 1983, as ``Lupus Awareness Week,'' and I call upon the people of the United States to observe this week with appropriate ceremonies and activities.
In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 13th. day of October, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-three, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and eighth.
Ronald Reagan
[Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 4:29 p.m., October 13, 1983]
Proclamation 5117 -- National Farm-City Week, 1983
October 13, 1983
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
The Nation's farms and cities provide the framework for American economic and social life. Each serves as the economic lifeline for the other.
Farms provide the basic food, fiber, and timber for consumer needs. The rural countryside also provides watersheds, and natural environment for clear water and clean air, outdoor recreation, open spaces, and landscapes. The cities sustain industry, services, cultural centers, and house 97 percent of the population.
Each year the people of our farms and cities pause during Farm-City Week to reflect on their interdependence and the strength and vitality that each brings to our national life. It is appropriate that Farm-City Week comes near Thanksgiving, the traditional time since Colonial days for Americans to reflect on the rich bounty of the harvest. As a people we are indeed blessed to live in a land with a plentiful supply of wholesome food.
In a short period of time, the United States has developed from an agricultural economy with scattered rural outposts, clinging to life in the New World, to an efficient production system in which only three percent of the Nation's people feed and clothe the entire population. This rapid growth has been made possible through the unparalleled productivity and cooperation of farm and city people working in close harmony.
In order that farm and city people may continue to reflect on the benefits of mutual support, and to show their grateful appreciation for their combined efforts, the American people have traditionally set aside a week each year to pay tribute to farm-city people.
Now, Therefore, I, Ronald Reagan, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim the period November 18 through November 24, 1983, as National Farm-City Week. I call upon all Americans, in rural areas and in cities alike, to join in recognizing the accomplishments of our productive farm families and of our urban residents in working together in a spirit of cooperation and interdependence to create bounty, wealth, and strength for the Nation.
In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 13th day of Oct., in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-three, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and eighth.
Ronald Reagan
[Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 4:30 p.m., October 13, 1983]