HR1114LRB098 21346 GRL 59626 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) is a
3devastating progressive neurodegenerative disease which
4destroys the ability to walk, speak, eat, and breathe; ALS is
5sometimes referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease, named after Lou
6Gehrig, a famous baseball first basemen, whose career was
7stopped in 1939 when he developed ALS at the age of 36; and
 
8    WHEREAS, ALS affects the body by attacking nerve cells of
9the brain and spinal cord; typical symptoms of ALS include the
10inability to walk, speak, eat, and even breathe; paralysis can
11also develop; after the onset of this disease, fatality usually
12occurs within 2 to 5 years; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Every day, an average of 15 people are newly
14diagnosed with ALS - more than 5,600 people per year; as many
15as 30,000 Americans may currently be affected by ALS; annually,
16ALS is responsible for two deaths per 100,000 people; ALS
17typically affects people over the age of 40, including those
18who previously enjoyed excellent health in the prime of their
19lives; ALS is indiscriminate in the types of people who will be
20affected by it; and
 
21    WHEREAS, At present, there is no known treatment or cure
22for ALS; if a cure or greater understanding of ALS is achieved,

 

 

HR1114- 2 -LRB098 21346 GRL 59626 r

1then it is likely that this will benefit research into related
2conditions like Parkinson's, Huntington's, and Alzheimer's
3disease; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Established in 2008, 'ALS Across America' aims to
5raise awareness about ALS by sharing with the media and public
6the experiences that people throughout the United States have
7with ALS; therefore, be it
 
8    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
9NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
10we designate the month of May 2014 as ALS Awareness Month in
11the State of Illinois; and be it further
 
12    RESOLVED, That we urge the citizens of the State of
13Illinois to become more aware of the plight of people with this
14serious disease, support those with this condition, and help to
15further research into finding a cure.