Thank you for helping me reach my Walk to Defeat ALS fundraising goal! The Walk to Defeat ALS raises funds to support those affected by ALS and has been a family-favorite event since my diagnosis in 2009.

 

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 am incredibly grateful to have a slower-progressing form of ALS, called PMA. However slow-progressing doesn't mean I'm not affected. Chronic pain, inability to walk outside my home unassisted, and constant fatigue and weakness keep me from doing things that I used to love. And, I have known so many wonderful people who weren't so lucky, and passed much too quickly. That's why I'm walking. To change the statistics. To bring help and hope to those living with the disease. To ensure that no one ever hears the words: "You have ALS" again. 

 

The past few 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.