88R28018 TBO-D
By: Jetton H.R. No. 1488
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The observance of ALS Awareness Month in May
provides a fitting opportunity to promote better understanding of
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, often known as Lou Gehrig's disease;
and
WHEREAS, A neurodegenerative condition, ALS was first
identified by a French scientist in 1869, and the disease garnered
international attention 70 years later, when it ended the career of
beloved baseball player Lou Gehrig; ALS affects nerve cells in the
brain and spinal cord, causing the progressive degeneration of the
motor neurons that reach from the brain to the spinal cord and from
the spinal cord to the muscles throughout the body; patients with
ALS may lose the ability to speak, eat, move, and breathe; and
WHEREAS, To receive a diagnosis, patients must typically
undergo numerous tests and procedures, such as electromyography
testing, blood and urine studies, spinal taps, x-rays, biopsies,
and neurological examinations; approximately 5,600 people in the
United States are diagnosed with ALS each year, and some 15
Americans are diagnosed each day; moreover, for unknown reasons,
military veterans are significantly more likely to be diagnosed
with the disease than the general public; and
WHEREAS, Although life expectancy averages about two to five
years from diagnosis, the disease is variable, and some people
survive longer while retaining quality of life; according to the
ALS Association, approximately 20 percent of individuals with ALS
live five years or more, and about five percent live 20 years or
longer; there is currently no cure for ALS, but a number of
medications and treatments are available to help alleviate symptoms
and prolong survival; and
WHEREAS, Individuals with ALS benefit immeasurably from the
support of their families, friends, health care providers, and
caregivers, as well as from the dedicated efforts of service
groups, volunteers, and researchers across Texas who are working to
improve outcomes and develop new treatments for ALS; and
WHEREAS, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a serious and
life-threatening disease, and the observance of ALS Awareness Month
unites people around the world in their commitment to support the
search for a cure and to enhance quality of life for patients; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas
Legislature hereby recognize May 2023 as ALS Awareness Month and
urge all Texans to learn more about the disease.