SR0691 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0691 LRB104 21245 LAW 35888 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a progressive fatal neurodegenerative disease in which a person's brain loses connection with their muscles, slowly reducing a person's ability to walk, talk, eat, and eventually breathe; and

WHEREAS, Thousands of new ALS cases are reported every year, and estimates show that someone is diagnosed with ALS and someone passes away from ALS every 90 minutes; and

WHEREAS, On average, patients diagnosed with ALS survive only two to five years from the time of diagnosis; and

WHEREAS, The exact causes of ALS are unknown, and there is no known cure for ALS; and

WHEREAS, People who have served in the military are more likely to develop ALS and die from the disease than those with no history of military service; and

WHEREAS, Securing access to new therapies, durable medical equipment, and communication technologies is of vital importance to people living with ALS; and

WHEREAS, Clinical trials play a pivotal role in evaluating new treatments, enhancing quality of life, and fostering assistive technologies for those living with ALS; and

WHEREAS, The ALS Association is the largest philanthropic funder of ALS research globally and has committed more than $154 million to support more than 550 projects across the United States and 18 other countries; and

WHEREAS, The ALS Association is committed to making ALS livable and curing it for everyone, everywhere; and

WHEREAS, Observing ALS Awareness Month increases public awareness of the dire circumstances of people living with ALS, acknowledges the terrible impact this disease has on those individuals and their families, and supports research being done to eradicate this disease; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we declare May 2026 as ALS Awareness Month in the State of Illinois, and we urge all Illinoisans to engage in supporting amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) research, advocating for increased funding, and standing in solidarity with those affected by this relentless disease.