HomeMy WebLinkAbout031926 email - ALS Awareness Month Proclamation RequestALERT: BE CAUTIOUS This email originated outside the organization. Do not open attachments or click on links if you are not expecting them.
Dear Commissioner Brotherton,
My name is Debra, and I am a constituent from Port Townsend, WA. I am writing to you as someone personally impacted by ALS.
ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), often known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a progressive and terminal disease that affects mobility, speech, and ultimately the ability to breathe.
It impacts not only the person diagnosed but entire families and communities.
I respectfully request that you officially recognize May 2026 as ALS Awareness Month.
An ALS Awareness Month proclamation or resolution would:
- Help educate the public about the realities of this devastating disease
- Honor individuals and families living with ALS
- Recognize caregivers and healthcare providers
- Demonstrate our state’s commitment to supporting those impacted
Public recognition from state leaders brings visibility to ALS and reminds families like mine that we are seen and supported.
The ALS Association works in communities across our state to provide care services, equipment, advocacy, and research support. An official proclamation would strengthen these efforts
and raise awareness statewide.
Thank you for your leadership and for considering this request. I would be honored to provide additional information or participate in any recognition event.
Sincerely,
Debra Bretey
caring for a person living with ALS
25 Vancouver Ln, Port Townsend WA
ambushdee@comcast.net
**SAMPLE PROCLAMATION / RESOLUTION**
Title: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Awareness Month
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 make ALS livable and cure 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;
Now, therefore, I, Commissioner Brotherton, do hereby proclaim the month of May 2026 as ALS Awareness Month. I call upon all Americans to join in supporting ALS research, advocating
for increased funding, and standing in solidarity with those affected by this relentless disease.
[Your Signature]