HJ0113 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HJ0113 LRB095 20332 GRL 47560 r

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or ALS is better known as Lou Gehrig's disease; and

WHEREAS, ALS is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by degeneration of cell bodies of the lower motor neurons in the gray matter of the anterior horns of the spinal cord; and

WHEREAS, The initial symptom of ALS is weakness of the skeletal muscles, especially those of the extremities; and

WHEREAS, As ALS progresses the patient experiences difficulty in swallowing, talking, and breathing; and

WHEREAS, ALS eventually causes muscles to atrophy and the patient becomes a functional quadriplegic; and

WHEREAS, ALS does not affect a patient's mental capacity, so that the patient remains alert and aware of his or her loss of motor functions and the inevitable outcome of continued deterioration and death; and

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

WHEREAS, research indicates that military veterans are at a 50% or greater risk of developing ALS than those who have not served in the military; and

WHEREAS, ALS has no known cause, means of prevention, or cure; 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 the patient but on his or her family and the community and recognizes the research being done to eradicate this horrible disease; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we proclaim the month of May 2008 as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Awareness Month in the State of Illinois; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we memorialize the President and Congress of the United States to enact legislation to provide additional funding for research in order to find a treatment and eventually a cure for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to the President of the United States and each member of the Illinois congressional delegation.