| 1 | 1 | | H.R. No. 1488 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 5 | | WHEREAS, The observance of ALS Awareness Month in May |
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| 6 | 6 | | provides a fitting opportunity to promote better understanding of |
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| 7 | 7 | | amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, often known as Lou Gehrig's disease; |
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| 8 | 8 | | and |
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| 9 | 9 | | WHEREAS, A neurodegenerative condition, ALS was first |
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| 10 | 10 | | identified by a French scientist in 1869, and the disease garnered |
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| 11 | 11 | | international attention 70 years later, when it ended the career of |
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| 12 | 12 | | beloved baseball player Lou Gehrig; ALS affects nerve cells in the |
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| 13 | 13 | | brain and spinal cord, causing the progressive degeneration of the |
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| 14 | 14 | | motor neurons that reach from the brain to the spinal cord and from |
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| 15 | 15 | | the spinal cord to the muscles throughout the body; patients with |
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| 16 | 16 | | ALS may lose the ability to speak, eat, move, and breathe; and |
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| 17 | 17 | | WHEREAS, To receive a diagnosis, patients must typically |
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| 18 | 18 | | undergo numerous tests and procedures, such as electromyography |
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| 19 | 19 | | testing, blood and urine studies, spinal taps, x-rays, biopsies, |
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| 20 | 20 | | and neurological examinations; approximately 5,600 people in the |
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| 21 | 21 | | United States are diagnosed with ALS each year, and some 15 |
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| 22 | 22 | | Americans are diagnosed each day; moreover, for unknown reasons, |
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| 23 | 23 | | military veterans are significantly more likely to be diagnosed |
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| 24 | 24 | | with the disease than the general public; and |
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| 25 | 25 | | WHEREAS, Although life expectancy averages about two to five |
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| 26 | 26 | | years from diagnosis, the disease is variable, and some people |
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| 27 | 27 | | survive longer while retaining quality of life; according to the |
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| 28 | 28 | | ALS Association, approximately 20 percent of individuals with ALS |
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| 29 | 29 | | live five years or more, and about five percent live 20 years or |
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| 30 | 30 | | longer; there is currently no cure for ALS, but a number of |
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| 31 | 31 | | medications and treatments are available to help alleviate symptoms |
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| 32 | 32 | | and prolong survival; and |
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| 33 | 33 | | WHEREAS, Individuals with ALS benefit immeasurably from the |
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| 34 | 34 | | support of their families, friends, health care providers, and |
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| 35 | 35 | | caregivers, as well as from the dedicated efforts of service |
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| 36 | 36 | | groups, volunteers, and researchers across Texas who are working to |
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| 37 | 37 | | improve outcomes and develop new treatments for ALS; and |
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| 38 | 38 | | WHEREAS, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a serious and |
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| 39 | 39 | | life-threatening disease, and the observance of ALS Awareness Month |
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| 40 | 40 | | unites people around the world in their commitment to support the |
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| 41 | 41 | | search for a cure and to enhance quality of life for patients; now, |
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| 42 | 42 | | therefore, be it |
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| 43 | 43 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
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| 44 | 44 | | Legislature hereby recognize May 2023 as ALS Awareness Month and |
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| 45 | 45 | | urge all Texans to learn more about the disease. |
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| 46 | 46 | | Jetton |
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| 47 | 47 | | Lalani |
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| 48 | 48 | | ______________________________ |
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| 49 | 49 | | Speaker of the House |
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| 50 | 50 | | I certify that H.R. No. 1488 was adopted by the House on May |
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| 51 | 51 | | 17, 2023, by a non-record vote. |
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| 52 | 52 | | ______________________________ |
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| 53 | 53 | | Chief Clerk of the House |
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