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SENATE RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, The observance of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis |
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(ALS) Awareness Month in May of 2025 provides an opportunity to |
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promote better understanding of ALS, often known as Lou Gehrig's |
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disease; and |
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WHEREAS, ALS is a fatal neurodegenerative disease that |
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affects motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord, eventually |
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causing muscle weakness and paralysis, and it garnered |
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international attention when it ended the career of beloved |
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baseball player Lou Gehrig; patients with ALS slowly lose the |
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ability to speak, eat, move, and breathe; and |
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WHEREAS, Thousands of people in the United States are |
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diagnosed with ALS each year, and approximately 16 Americans are |
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diagnosed each day; the causes of the disease are unknown, and |
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military veterans are more likely to be diagnosed with the |
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disease than those with no history of military service; and |
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WHEREAS, Life expectancy averages from two to five years |
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from diagnosis, and currently there is no known cure for ALS; |
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however, clinical trials play a pivotal role in evaluating new |
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treatments and improving assistive technologies that enhance the |
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quality of life of patients living with the disease; and |
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WHEREAS, The ALS Association is the largest philanthropic |
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funder of ALS research globally and has committed more than $160 |
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million to support projects in the United States and 19 other |
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countries; the work of the association is fueled by the hope that |
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one day ALS will be a livable disease for all who are diagnosed |
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and that they will be able to enjoy more time with their loved |
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ones until a cure is found; and |
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WHEREAS, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Awareness Month |
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represents a fitting occasion to increase public awareness of the |
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dire circumstances of people living with ALS, to acknowledge the |
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terrible impact this disease has on those individuals and their |
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families, and to reaffirm our commitment to support research to |
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eradicate ALS; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 89th |
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Legislature, hereby recognize May of 2025 as ALS Awareness Month |
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and encourage all Texans to support ALS research and to stand in |
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solidarity with those affected by this devastating disease; and, |
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be it further |
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RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared in |
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honor of this occasion. |