Mussman Declares May ALS Awareness Month

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — State Representative Michelle Mussman, D-Schaumburg, is honoring those fighting ALS disease by passing a resolution recognizing the month of May as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Awareness month.

“ALS is a disease that takes away so much, wearing down the body with relentless progression,” said Mussman. “You might remember the online ‘Ice Bucket Challenge’ from years ago. That was to raise awareness for ALS and encourage more research to be done, and there’s still so much more work to do.”

ALS is a progressive and fatal neurodegenerative disease, affecting approximately 30,000 people in the United States. With thousands of new cases reported every year, it is estimated that someone is diagnosed with ALS and someone passes away from ALS every 90 minutes. 

There is currently no cure for ALS, nor are its causes known. Every May, people across the United States recognize May as ALS Awareness Month to offer support to those suffering from the disease. The month also serves to inform others of research being done, developments in clinical trials and therapies, and to raise funds for continued progress in understanding and combating the disease.

“The fight against ALS is often debilitating to experience, and can feel debilitating to witness, and all parties involved can feel helpless,” said Mussman. “We can turn that helplessness into hope by fighting for more funding, research, and more support for everyone battling ALS.”