Colorado Senate adopts resolution designating Sept. 20–26, 2026 as Frontotemporal Degeneration Awareness Week

The Colorado Senate on the floor adopted Senate Joint Resolution 004 declaring Sept. 20–26, 2026, as Frontotemporal Degeneration Awareness Week.

Senator Coker, sponsor of the resolution, asked that portions of the measure be read at length and noted a constituent, Mimi Moore, who attended with family members affected by FTD. "She's one of my constituents from Centennial," Coker said, introducing the guest and urging recognition.

The minority leader described FTD as “an under diagnosed neurodegenerative disease that affects more than 60,000 people in the United States,” and noted the disease can affect adults as young as 21 and has an average life expectancy of seven to 13 years. The resolution text, read aloud on the floor, characterizes FTD as a terminal and incurable disease that affects speech, personality, behavior and motor skills and cites the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration’s advocacy and research role.

The chamber adopted SJR004 by voice vote. The presiding officer announced the tally as 32 ayes, 0 nos, 0 absent, and 3 excused. Senator Coker then requested that the current roll call be added as cosponsors; with no objection the roll call was added and the chamber applauded.

FTD advocacy groups and the resolution text highlighted the economic and caregiving burdens of FTD, with the resolution noting an estimated additional annual cost of care at least 120% of the economic burden of Alzheimer’s disease and that FTD may represent 5–15% of dementia cases in aggregate. The resolution directs that a copy be sent to the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration.

Procedure and next steps: SJR004 was adopted on the floor and cosponsors were added by voice; no further floor action on this resolution was recorded in the transcript.