STATE OF MAINE
_____
IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FIVE
_____
JOINT RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING MAY 2025 AS
AMYOTROPHIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS AWARENESS MONTH
WHEREAS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, also commonly known as Lou
Gehrig's disease, is a progressive fatal neurodegenerative disease in which a person's brain
loses connection with the person's muscles, slowly reducing the 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
every 90 minutes someone is diagnosed with ALS and someone passes away from ALS; and
WHEREAS, on average, patients diagnosed with ALS survive only 2 to 5 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 accelerating the pace of discovery,
fueled by the hope that one day ALS will be a livable disease for everyone, everywhere, until
a cure can be found; and
WHEREAS, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Awareness Month provides an opportunity to
increase public awareness of the dire circumstances of people living with ALS, acknowledge
the terrible impact this disease has on those individuals and their families and support research
to eradicate this disease; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED: That We, the members of the One Hundred Thirty-second Legislature now
assembled in the First Special Session, on behalf of the people we represent, declare May 2025
to be Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Awareness Month and call upon all citizens of the State
to join in supporting ALS research, advocating for increased funding and standing in solidarity
with those affected by this relentless disease.
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