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 courage and resilience of individuals living with ALS inspire us all to take action toward a future free of this disease; 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;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Glenn Youngkin, do hereby recognize May 2025, as ALS AWARENESS MONTH in the COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, and I call this observance to the attention of all of our citizens.