Memorializing Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim September 28 - October 4, 2026, as Frontotemporal Degeneration Awareness Week in the State of New York

Senate Resolution No. 2246

BY: Senator HINCHEY

        MEMORIALIZING  Governor  Kathy  Hochul to proclaim
        September 28 - October 4,  2026,  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 28 - October  4,
2026,  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 is  one  of  the  most  difficult  diseases  with  much
unknown;  often affecting people in the prime of their lives and leaving
them with little understanding of how the diagnosis will  disrupt  their
future,  change  their relationships with family and friends, and hinder
their ability to continue to live their lives; 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 its 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,  or  they  may  choose  to  do
things that would otherwise be entirely out of character; and

  WHEREAS,  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 so that we can eradicate this disease
once and for all; now, therefore, be it

  RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its  deliberations  to
memorialize  Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim September 28 - October 4,
2026, 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.