Declare ALS Awareness Month

Senate Resolution No. 1373 BY: Senator PERSAUD MEMORIALIZING Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim May 2026, as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Awareness Month in the State of New York WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to help increase awareness of serious health conditions that affect the lives of citizens of New York State; and WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body hereby memorializes Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim May 2026, as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Awareness Month in the State of New York; and WHEREAS, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), sometimes called Lou Gehrig's disease, is a progressive disease that attacks the nerve cells that control voluntary movement; and WHEREAS, In ALS, both the upper motor neurons and the lower motor neurons degenerate or die, ceasing to send messages to muscles; unable to function, the muscles gradually weaken, waste away, and twitch; ultimately, the ability of the brain to start and control voluntary movement is lost; and WHEREAS, Once ALS starts, it almost always progresses, eventually taking away the ability to walk, dress, write, speak, swallow and breathe, and shortening the life span; and WHEREAS, ALS is 100% fatal and has few treatments to improve the quality of life; and WHEREAS, There are two different types of ALS, sporadic and familial; sporadic, which is the most common form of the disease in the United States, encompasses 90 percent of all cases; it may affect anyone, anywhere; familial ALS (FALS) accounts for 10 percent of all cases in the United States and means the disease is inherited; and WHEREAS, Most people live about three to five years after they experience their first signs of disease, with one in 10 people surviving at least 10 years; the variable rate of disease progression makes prognosis difficult to predict and therapies challenging to develop; and WHEREAS, Every 90 minutes, someone is diagnosed with ALS; people who develop ALS are generally between the ages of 40 and 70, with the majority after age 60, although it can occur at a younger age; and WHEREAS, Approximately 5,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with ALS each year; the incidence of ALS is two per 100,000 people; and WHEREAS, Furthermore, it is estimated that more than 30,000 Americans may be living with ALS at any given time; and WHEREAS, Most surveys find that ALS is more common in men than women, though that gap may be closing; in addition, military veterans are approximately twice as likely to develop ALS; and WHEREAS, ALS occurs throughout the world with no obvious racial, ethnic or socioeconomic boundaries; and WHEREAS, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Awareness Month increases the public's awareness of ALS patients' circumstances and acknowledges the terrible impact this disease has not only on patients but on their families as well; and WHEREAS, It is imperative that there be greater awareness of this serious health condition, and more must be done to increase activity at the local, State and National levels; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to memorialize Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim May 2026, as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Awareness Month in the State of New York; and be it further RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to The Honorable Kathy Hochul, Governor of the State of New York.