LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION memorializing Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to
proclaim May 2016, as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Awareness Month in
New York State

WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to help increase
awareness of serious health conditions that affect the lives of citizens
of New York State; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to memorial-
ize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim May 2016, as Amyotrophic
Lateral Sclerosis Awareness Month in the State of New York, in conjunc-
tion with the observance of National ALS Advocacy Day and Public Policy
Conference, May 8-10, 2016; and
WHEREAS, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), sometimes called Lou
Gehrig's disease, is a progressive disease that attacks the nerve cells
that control voluntary movement; and
WHEREAS, In ALS, both the upper motor neurons and the lower motor
neurons degenerate or die, ceasing to send messages to muscles; unable
to function, the muscles gradually weaken, waste away, and twitch; even-
tually the ability of the brain to start and control voluntary movement
is lost; and
WHEREAS, Once ALS starts, it almost always progresses, eventually
taking away the ability to walk, dress, write, speak, swallow, and
breathe, and shortening the life span; and
WHEREAS, ALS is 100% fatal and has few treatments to improve the qual-
ity of life; and
WHEREAS, There are two different types of ALS, sporadic and familial;
sporadic, which is the most common form of the disease in the U.S., is
90 - 95 percent of all cases; it may affect anyone, anywhere; familial
ALS (FALS) accounts for 5 to 10 percent of all cases in the U.S. and
means the disease is inherited; and
WHEREAS, Most people who develop ALS are between the ages of 40 and
75, with the majority after age 60, although it can occur at a younger
age; and
WHEREAS, Approximately 6,400 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with ALS
each year; the incidence of ALS is two per 100,000 people; and
WHEREAS, It is estimated that more than 20,000 Americans may be living
with ALS at any given time; and
WHEREAS, Most surveys find that ALS is more common in men than women,
though that gap may be closing; in addition, military veterans are
approximately twice as likely to develop ALS; and
WHEREAS, ALS occurs throughout the world with no obvious racial,
ethnic or socioeconomic boundaries; and
WHEREAS, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Awareness Month increases the
public's awareness of ALS patients' circumstances and acknowledges the
terrible impact this disease has not only on patients but on their fami-
lies as well; and
WHEREAS, The National ALS Registry was created by Congress in 2008, to
gather and organize information about who gets ALS and the potential
causes of ALS; the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
(ATSDR) is charged with developing and managing the Registry; and
WHEREAS, The National ALS Registry collects, manages and analyzes data
about persons with ALS; it includes data from existing national data-
bases and information provided by persons with ALS who choose to partic-
ipate; and
WHEREAS, In addition, researchers can use Registry data to look for
disease pattern changes over time and try to identify whether there are

common risk factors among persons with ALS; the Registry also provides
updated links for participant resources like ALS clinical trials; and
WHEREAS, New York State is one of 14 states that lag behind the
national average for enrollees registering with the National ALS Regis-
try; and
WHEREAS, Scientists need the assistance of New Yorkers living with ALS
to further their research into the causes of the disease, and help
scientists defeat ALS; and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to encourage those
New Yorkers who live with ALS to join the Registry online at the Center
for Disease Control's Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry;
and
WHEREAS, It is imperative that there be greater awareness of this
serious health condition, and more must be done to increase activity at
the local, State and National levels; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim May 2016, as Amyotroph-
ic Lateral Sclerosis Awareness Month in the State of New York; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of New
York.