First of all, thank you for supporting my ALS United Walk fundraiser! The ALS United Walk raises funds for local patient care programs and to spread awareness of the urgency to find treatments and a cure. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive, fatal neuromuscular disease that slowly robs the body of its ability to walk, speak, swallow and breathe. The life expectancy of a person with ALS averages 2 to 5 years from the time of diagnosis. ALS can strike anyone, and presently there is no known cause or cure. I'm walking because in May I received a phone call from my best friend, who lives in another state. We have been far away from each other, but being far does not mean that the ties of love and friendship unravel. Our children grew up next door to each other while they were young. We often laugh at the “exchange of children”, hers for mine, as they frequently jumped the fence to visit. To change the statistics. She called me one evening, we caught up as much as one can do in just a few minutes, and then she said those words that immediately sent a shiver through me. She said, “I have something to tell you. In a February I was diagnosed with ALS.” Words seem unimportant and hard to come up with. In that moment you just want to be in that loved one’s presence, but I was a few states away. Immediately I planned my first trip to see her. And then I researched and researched. I was going to learn as much as I could about this dreadful ALS disease. The past two years have brought incredible advancements in ALS research, expanded access to care for people living with ALS, and enabled legislation that impacts the quality of life of people with ALS and their families. But we can't stop now. The key to a cure begins with me and you. Please sponsoring me. As I walk on September 7th, one day before my 66th birthday in Rehoboth Beach. With your help, we will be able to make a difference in the lives of people affected by this disease. What an incredible birthday present it would be to know that maybe this will make the difference to offer longer-life options for those that have ALS, and give them much more time with family and friends. Please, give what you can, and if you are out in Rehoboth Beach on September 7, at the Bandstand, the walk starts at 9:30. Cheer everyone on! Thank you! Lee