STATE OF MAINE
_____
IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FOUR
_____
JOINT RESOLUTION DESIGNATING MAY 2024 AS
AMYOTROPHIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS AWARENESS MONTH
WHEREAS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as ALS, is a progressive
neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord; and
WHEREAS, the life expectancy for an individual with ALS is between 2 and 5 years after
the date on which the individual receives an ALS diagnosis; and
WHEREAS, ALS occurs throughout the world with no racial, ethnic, gender or
socioeconomic boundaries; and
WHEREAS, the 2 different types of ALS are sporadic ALS and familial ALS; and
WHEREAS, sporadic ALS is the most common form of motor neuron disease in the
United States, accounts for between 90% and 95% of all cases of ALS in the United States and
may affect any individual in any location; and
WHEREAS, familial ALS, also known as FALS, is inherited and accounts for between
5% and 10% of all cases of ALS in the United States; and
WHEREAS, there is a 50% chance that each of the offspring of an individual with familial
ALS will inherit the gene mutation for familial ALS and develop the disease; and
WHEREAS, the onset of ALS often involves muscle weakness or stiffness, and the
progression of ALS results in the further weakening, wasting and paralysis of the muscles of
the limbs and trunk and the muscles that control vital functions, including speech, swallowing
and breathing; and
WHEREAS, on average, the period between the date on which an individual first
experiences symptoms of ALS and the date on which the individual is diagnosed with ALS is
about one year; and
WHEREAS, ALS can strike individuals of any age but predominantly strikes adults, and
it is estimated that tens of thousands of individuals in the United States have ALS at any given
time; and
WHEREAS, based on studies of the population of the United States, slightly more than
5,600 individuals in the United States are diagnosed with ALS each year, and 15 individuals in
the United States are diagnosed with ALS each day; and
WHEREAS, the majority of individuals with ALS die of respiratory failure; and
WHEREAS, a military veteran is approximately twice as likely to be diagnosed with ALS
as is a member of the general public in the United States; and
WHEREAS, as of the date of introduction of this resolution, there is no cure for ALS; and
WHEREAS, the spouses, children and other family members of individuals living with
ALS provide support to those individuals with love, day-to-day care and more; and
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 WHEREAS, an individual with ALS, and the caregivers of such an individual, can be
required to bear significant costs for medical care, equipment and home health care services
for the individual as the disease progresses; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED: That We, the Members of the One Hundred and Thirty-first Legislature now
assembled in the Second Regular Session, on behalf of the people we represent, take this
opportunity to recognize May 2024 as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Awareness Month. We
affirm the dedication of the Legislature to helping to work toward securing cures and better
treatments for ALS, recognize the challenges that individuals with ALS face on a daily basis
and commend the dedication of the family members, friends, organizations, volunteers,
researchers and caregivers across the United States who are working to improve the quality and
length of life of persons with ALS.
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