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SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 5
J1 6lr3722
By: Senator Ready
Introduced and read first time: February 23, 2026
Assigned to: Rules
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION
A Senate Joint Resolution concerning 1
Frontotemporal Degeneration Awareness Week 2
FOR the purpose of establishing the last full week of September 2026 as Frontotemporal 3
Degeneration (FTD) Awareness Week. 4
WHEREAS, The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration reports that FTD is a 5
terminal and incurable neurodegenerative disease affecting the frontal and temporal lobes, 6
causing impairments to speech, personality, behavior, and motor skills , and that it takes 7
an average of 3.6 years to get an accurate diagnosis of FTD with an average life expectancy 8
of 7 to 13 years after the onset of symptoms; and 9
WHEREAS, FTD has been diagnosed in people between 21 and 80 years old with the 10
largest percentage of those affected being between 45 and 64 years old an d is the most 11
common form of dementia for people under 60 years old, rendering people in the prime of 12
life unable to work or function normally; and 13
WHEREAS, FTD imposes average annual costs associated with care and living with 14
the disease that are approximately double the costs of living with Alzheimer’s disease and 15
is identified in the National Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease and recognized by the 16
State as a related dementia and included as part of the vision of the nation and the State 17
free of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias; and 18
WHEREAS, It is imperative that there be greater awareness of this serious disease, 19
and more must be done to increase a ctivity at the local, State, and national levels; now, 20
therefore, be it 21
RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, That the last full 22
week of September 2026 be recognized as Frontotemporal Degeneration Awareness Week; 23
and be it further 24
2 SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 5
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be forwarded by the Department of 1
Legislative Services to the Governor of Maryland; the President of the Senate of Maryland; 2
and the Speaker of the House of Delegates. 3