1Designating the month of May 2014 as "Amyotrophic Lateral
2Sclerosis Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania.

3WHEREAS, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is better known
4as Lou Gehrig's Disease; and

5WHEREAS, ALS is a fatal neurodegenerative disease
6characterized by degeneration of cell bodies of the upper and
7lower motor neurons in the gray matter of the anterior horn of
8the spinal cord; and

9WHEREAS, The initial symptom of ALS is weakness of the
10skeletal muscles, especially those of the extremities; and

11WHEREAS, As ALS progresses, the patient experiences
12difficulty in swallowing, talking and breathing; and

13WHEREAS, ALS eventually causes muscles to atrophy and the
14patient becomes a functional quadriplegic; and

15WHEREAS, Patients with ALS typically remain alert and aware
16of their loss of motor functions and the inevitable outcome of
17continued deterioration and death; and

1WHEREAS, ALS affects military veterans at twice the rate of
2the general population; and

3WHEREAS, ALS occurs in adulthood, most commonly between 40
4and 70 years of age, with the peak age of about 55, and affects
5both men and women without bias; and

6WHEREAS, Annually, more than 5,000 new ALS patients are
7diagnosed throughout the nation; and

8WHEREAS, In Pennsylvania, there are currently more than 1,000
9individuals who have been formally diagnosed with ALS; and

10WHEREAS, The $350,000 in State funding the General Assembly
11appropriated for ALS patient care in fiscal year 2013-2014
12provided services to more than 900 constituents and provided a
13substantial savings to the State budget and to taxpayers; and

14WHEREAS, The ALS Association reported in 2009 that on
15average, patients diagnosed with ALS only survive two to five
16years from the time of diagnosis; and

17WHEREAS, ALS has no known cause, prevention or cure; and

18WHEREAS, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Awareness Month
19increases the public's awareness of ALS patients' circumstances
20and acknowledges the terrible impact this disease has not only
21on patients but on their families as well and recognizes the
22research being done to eradicate this horrible disease;
23therefore be it

24RESOLVED, That the Senate of Pennsylvania designate the month
25of May 2014 as "Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Awareness Month"
26in Pennsylvania; and be it further

27RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to
28the President of the United States, to the presiding officers of
29each house of Congress and to each member of Congress from
30Pennsylvania.