Tim and Linda's Story-

ALS just kind of crept up on us. When my husband, Tim Davis, and I married in 1982, we knew his grandfather had died of ALS in the 1950s. But we thought this was an "outlier"- a rare disease. Then, in the mid-1990s, Tim's father, then in his 70s, started walking with a limp. He saw many specialists, but his condition progressed. It was finally confirmed as ALS. Hereditary ALS. Tim's father valiantly lived for ten years with Lou Gehrig's disease. But by the time Tim's father died in 2002, my husband Tim was himself starting to walk with a limp. Could it be ALS too? We saw many specialists and they found a tumor on his spinal cord. The neurologists were certain this was causing his "foot drop" and thus Tim had spinal cord surgery in 2004. But after the successful surgery and removal of the tumor, Tim's walking got worse. He was diagnosed with ALS in January, 2005. My husband died in 2008.

There is no going back after experiencing Lou Gehrig's disease firsthand. Living with a loved one with a terminal illness- a hereditary, debilitating terminal illness like ALS- changes everything. We knew what we were in for, having watched Tim's father decline. Sometimes it feels that this disease takes everything from you. You are always trying to play catch up with it's devastating march while trying to help your kids with their homework, go to their baseball games or school plays, fix a normal dinner, or find time to pray. But I also learned that in some ways, ALS does give a few things back. My husband Tim lived with a lot of grace, humor, drugs, and humility. We learned the true meaning of friends, how to cope with our sadness, and that we could be pushed to the edge without going over. We developed a keen awareness of the importance, beauty and value of each day.

It took almost 2 years after Tim died for me to get involved with The ALS Association, but I'm glad I have begun. I personally believe we are on the verge of a major scientific breakthrough, with so many disciplines coming together; synergies are happening. That is why I'm motivated and involved in raising money for ALS Research. I believe the treatments and cures are there. We just have to support the research to find them. This is NOT the time to rest; this is the time to ACCELERATE our investment.

Through the work of all the California Chapters of The ALS Association, the ALS Advocacy Committee and the support of the California Legislature, we secured line 414 for the ALS/Lou Gehrig Disease Research Fund on the California Tax Return. You can watch the hearing where it happened here. This created awareness for ALS Research as well as provides an opportunity for ANYONE in California to support our mission to create a world without ALS. Millions of Californians will see line 414 as they are preparing their taxes. A donation of as little as $10 from many of them will mean a lot to us. AND if we get 25,000 or more people to donate at least $10, we'll be given a spot on the tax return year after year. This is money for research we would not have likely had. This is money to accelerate finding a treatment to help current ALS patients. This is money for research that hopefully will find treatments or even cure for those amongst us who will be diagnosed next.

It is the time to call on your friends. You are only asking them to give $10. Send out an email to everyone in California you know. Post your support for the Get the 414Campaign on your Facebook account. Download this flyer and put it in all your neighbor's mailboxes or give it to your doctors or other professionals when you have an appointment.. Ask your church, employers, or professional organization to talk about this campaign in their monthly newsletter or distribute it at events. And please remember to make a donation of $10 (or more) on your own California tax return. Be a hero at tax time. Thank you.

- Linda Della