HOUSE RESOLUTION PROCLAIMING MAY 2026, TO BE ALS AWARENESS MONTH IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, the official text

H8563 2026 -- H 8563 ======== LC006038 ======== STATE OF RHODE ISLAND IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026 ____________ H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N PROCLAIMING MAY 2026, TO BE ALS AWARENESS MONTH IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND Introduced By: Representatives Felix, Blazejewski, Kazarian, Chippendale, Kennedy, Ajello, Phillips, Shallcross Smith, Boylan, and Hopkins Date Introduced: May 19, 2026 Referred To: House read and passed 1 WHEREAS, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), known by many as Lou Gehrig s 2 disease, is a progressive fatal neurodegenerative disease in which a person s brain loses 3 connection with the muscles, slowly taking away their ability to walk, talk, eat, and eventually 4 breathe; and 5 WHEREAS, An estimated 30,000 individuals in the United States are afflicted with ALS 6 at any given time, with approximately 5,600 people diagnosed each year, and over 352,000 7 people affected worldwide annually; and 8 WHEREAS, Approximately 15 new cases of ALS are diagnosed every day, and every 90 9 minutes someone loses their battle with the disease; and 10 WHEREAS, On average, patients diagnosed with ALS survive only two to five years 11 from the time of diagnosis; and 12 WHEREAS, ALS has no cure and can strike anyone regardless of race, sex, age, or 13 ethnicity; and 14 WHEREAS, Securing access to new therapies, durable medical equipment, and 15 communication technologies is of vital importance to people living with ALS; and 16 WHEREAS, Clinical trials play a pivotal role in evaluating new treatments, enhancing 17 quality of life, and fostering assistive technologies for those living with ALS; and 18 WHEREAS, Persons who have served in the military are approximately twice as likely to 19 develop ALS and die from the disease than those with no history of military service; and 1 WHEREAS, The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs recognizes ALS as a service- 2 connected disease; and 3 WHEREAS, The ALS Association, as the largest philanthropic funder of ALS research 4 globally, has committed over $162 million to support nearly 600 projects across the United States 5 and 20 other countries. The Association s commitment to accelerating the pace of discovery 6 remains unwavering, fueled by the hope that one day ALS will be a livable disease for everyone, 7 everywhere, until a cure can be found; and 8 WHEREAS, The purpose of ALS Awareness Month is to raise public awareness about 9 ALS, show support for those affected by this relentless disease, and give recognition to those 10 working to find a cure; now, therefore be it 11 RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby 12 proclaims May 2026, to be ALS Awareness Month. We furthermore urge all the citizens of the 13 State to educate themselves about ALS and to help combat this disease by all means possible; and 14 be it further 15 RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to 16 transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to ALS United RI. ======== LC006038 ======== LC006038 - Page 2 of 2