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TO THE HONORABLE CHAIRPERSON AND MEMBERS OF THE GENESEE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS, GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:
WHEREAS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a progressive, fatal neurodegenerative disease in which a person's brain loses connection with their muscles, slowly reducing a person's ability to walk, talk, eat, and eventually breathe; and
WHEREAS, thousands of new amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) cases are reported every year, and estimates show that every 90 minutes, someone is diagnosed with ALS and someone passes away from ALS; and
WHEREAS, on average, patients diagnosed with ALS survive only two to five years from the time of diagnosis; and
WHEREAS, the exact causes of ALS are unknown, and there is no known cure for ALS; and
WHEREAS, people who have served in the military are more likely to develop ALS and die from the disease than those with no history of military service; and
WHEREAS, securing access to new therapies, durable medical equipment, and communication technologies is of vital importance to people living with ALS; and
WHEREAS, clinical trials play a pivotal role in evaluating new treatments, enhancing quality of life, and fostering assistive technologies for those living with ALS; and
WHEREAS, the ALS Association is the largest philanthropic funder of ALS research globally and has committed more than $154 million to support more than 550 projects across the United States and 18 other countries; and
WHEREAS, the ALS Association is committed to making ALS livable and curing it for everyone, everywhere; and
WHEREAS, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Awareness Month provides an opportunity to increase public awareness of the dire circumstances of people living with ALS, acknowledge the terrible impact this disease has on those individuals and their families, and support research to eradicate this disease;
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