J 1100: Memorializing Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim September 21-27, 2025, as Frontotemporal Degeneration Awareness Week in the State of New York

 Senate Resolution No. 1100 BY: Senator HINCHEY MEMORIALIZING Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim September 21-27, 2025, as Frontotemporal Degeneration Awareness Week in the State of New York WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to recognize official weeks that are set aside to increase awareness of serious health conditions that affect the lives of citizens of New York State; and WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern and in full accord with its long-standing traditions, it is the sense of this Legislative Body to memorialize Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim September 21-27, 2025, as Frontotemporal Degeneration Awareness Week in the State of New York, in conjunction with the observance of World Frontotemporal Degeneration Awareness Week; and WHEREAS, Frontotemporal Degeneration (FTD) is a terminal and incurable brain disease affecting the frontal and temporal lobes causing impairments to speech, personality, behavior and motor skills; and WHEREAS, FTD most commonly affects people in the 40-60 age range, rendering people in the prime of life unable to work or function normally; and WHEREAS, FTD represents an estimated 10-20 percent of all dementia cases and is the most common form of dementia for people under the age of 60; and WHEREAS, Frontotemporal Degeneration is often misdiagnosed as a psychiatric problem or other neurodegenerative disease because of the wide range of cognitive and behavioral symptoms and their young onset; and WHEREAS, FTD imposes average annual costs associated with care and living with the disease that are approximately double those of Alzheimer's disease; and WHEREAS, Frontotemporal Degeneration often affects a person's ability to express emotions show affection and empathy for loved ones; and WHEREAS, In the behavioral variant of FTD, a person's sense of social graces and appropriate behavior can be lost, and their personality may be significantly changed; and WHEREAS, Furthermore, in the language variants of FTD (primary progressive aphasia), a person may have trouble producing speech and understanding grammar, lose the meaning of words or become hesitant in their speech and may eventually become mute; and WHEREAS, In the movement variants of Frontotemporal Degeneration, a person may experience muscle weakness, falling, loss of balance, difficulty making speech, difficulty swallowing, or choking; and WHEREAS, While there has never been a global epidemiology study of FTD, it is estimated that between 50,000 and 60,000 people are affected in the United States today; and WHEREAS, It is imperative that there be greater awareness of this serious disease, and more must be done to increase activity at the local, State and National levels; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to memorialize Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim September 21-27, 2025, as Frontotemporal Degeneration Awareness Week in the State of New York; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to The Honorable Kathy Hochul, Governor of the State of New York.