ALS Ice Bucket Challenge Progress
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The ALS Association Goldenwest Chapter (415) 967-2772 media@alsagoldenwest.org |
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Launch of new regional satellite clinic of noted ALS Association Certified Center of Excellence celebrates 20 years of progress fueled by the Central Valley Walk to Defeat ALS
October 23, 2019 - Fresno, CA
The ALS Association Golden West Chapter is pleased to announce a new regional satellite clinic of a noted ALS Association Certified Center of Excellence in the Central Valley, on Friday, October 25, 2019. Neurologist Catherine Lomen-Hoerth, MD, PhD, Clinic Director of the ALS Treatment and Research Center of the University of California, San Francisco, will lead a group of multidisciplinary professionals to provide high-quality care and support for those living with ALS and their caregivers. The launch of this new local resource aligns with the 20th anniversary of the Central Valley Walk to Defeat ALS to be held on Sunday, October 27 at Woodward Park in Fresno.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, is a fatal, neurodegenerative disease that attacks nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. The average life expectancy of a person with ALS is two to five years from diagnosis. People with ALS lose their ability to move, speak, swallow and eventually the ability to breathe, while all five senses function normally. ALS can strike anyone –men and women of any age- at any time. It knows no racial, ethnic, or socioeconomic boundaries, though military veterans are at twice the risk of the general population. In the later stages of the disease, the annual costs for home care, coupled with the cost of necessary equipment can exceed $200,000 per year. Currently, there is no known cause or cure for ALS.
“We are very excited to be providing this long-awaited resource to the ALS community in the Central Valley,” said Dr. Lomen-Hoerth. “ALS is a very complex disorder- biologically, clinically, socially, and that really takes a specialized care model to treat it effectively.”
Research has demonstrated that those who receive care and treatment at a multidisciplinary ALS clinic live longer with ALS and have a higher quality of life. People with ALS who are seen at the UCSF satellite clinic in Fresno will be served by a team of specialists across a variety of disciplines -- which include neurology, occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech language pathology and social work. Having a multidisciplinary care team allows the person with ALS to receive all of their ALS-related care in a coordinated manner, and in one location on the same day.
“It takes many different medical specialists, along with community-based care managers, to help people with ALS manage the progression of the disease,” said Fred Fisher, President & CEO of The ALS Association Golden West Chapter. “While, at this time, there is no known cure for ALS, receiving the kind of excellent care that these multidisciplinary ALS clinics can provide has been shown to significantly lengthen and improve people’s quality of life and is greatly needed for the Central Valley’s ALS community.”
A clinic dedication celebration will be held on at 12:30 PM and will feature members of the UCSF multidisciplinary clinic team, as well as special presentations from Assemblyman Jim Patterson and the office of Senator Andreas Borgeas. Representatives of The ALS Association Golden West Chapter will highlight the growth and changes for people with ALS and their families the past 20 years in the Fresno area as well as the shared vision for increasing care services, research, and public policy initiatives in support of the ALS community.
For more information about ALS or to register for the Walk to Defeat ALS, please visit CentralValleyWalktoDefeatALS.org. You may also contact Tammy Galt, Regional Director of Community Outreach in Central Valley, at (559) 285-0074 or tgalt@alsagoldenwest.org.
About The ALS Association and The Golden West Chapter
The mission of The ALS Association is to lead the fight to treat and cure ALS through global research and nationwide advocacy while also empowering people with Lou Gehrig’s Disease and their families to live fuller lives by providing them with compassionate care and support. We are a member of the National Health Council and the only national organization solely dedicated to fighting ALS on all fronts while directly serving the ALS community. By leading the way in global research, providing assistance for people with ALS through a nationwide network of chapters, coordinating multidisciplinary care through certified clinical care centers, and fostering government partnerships, The ALS Association builds hope and enhances quality of life while aggressively searching for new treatments and a cure. The Golden West Chapter serves people with ALS and their families in 31 counties throughout California and the state of Hawai’i. For more information, please visit to www.alsagoldenwest.org.
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The ALS Association Goldenwest Chapter (415) 967-2772 media@alsagoldenwest.org |
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Launch of new regional satellite clinic of noted ALS Association Certified Center of Excellence celebrates 20 years of progress fueled by the Central Valley Walk to Defeat ALS
October 23, 2019 - Fresno, CA
The ALS Association Golden West Chapter is pleased to announce a new regional satellite clinic of a noted ALS Association Certified Center of Excellence in the Central Valley, on Friday, October 25, 2019. Neurologist Catherine Lomen-Hoerth, MD, PhD, Clinic Director of the ALS Treatment and Research Center of the University of California, San Francisco, will lead a group of multidisciplinary professionals to provide high-quality care and support for those living with ALS and their caregivers. The launch of this new local resource aligns with the 20th anniversary of the Central Valley Walk to Defeat ALS to be held on Sunday, October 27 at Woodward Park in Fresno.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, is a fatal, neurodegenerative disease that attacks nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. The average life expectancy of a person with ALS is two to five years from diagnosis. People with ALS lose their ability to move, speak, swallow and eventually the ability to breathe, while all five senses function normally. ALS can strike anyone –men and women of any age- at any time. It knows no racial, ethnic, or socioeconomic boundaries, though military veterans are at twice the risk of the general population. In the later stages of the disease, the annual costs for home care, coupled with the cost of necessary equipment can exceed $200,000 per year. Currently, there is no known cause or cure for ALS.
“We are very excited to be providing this long-awaited resource to the ALS community in the Central Valley,” said Dr. Lomen-Hoerth. “ALS is a very complex disorder- biologically, clinically, socially, and that really takes a specialized care model to treat it effectively.”
Research has demonstrated that those who receive care and treatment at a multidisciplinary ALS clinic live longer with ALS and have a higher quality of life. People with ALS who are seen at the UCSF satellite clinic in Fresno will be served by a team of specialists across a variety of disciplines -- which include neurology, occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech language pathology and social work. Having a multidisciplinary care team allows the person with ALS to receive all of their ALS-related care in a coordinated manner, and in one location on the same day.
“It takes many different medical specialists, along with community-based care managers, to help people with ALS manage the progression of the disease,” said Fred Fisher, President & CEO of The ALS Association Golden West Chapter. “While, at this time, there is no known cure for ALS, receiving the kind of excellent care that these multidisciplinary ALS clinics can provide has been shown to significantly lengthen and improve people’s quality of life and is greatly needed for the Central Valley’s ALS community.”
A clinic dedication celebration will be held on at 12:30 PM and will feature members of the UCSF multidisciplinary clinic team, as well as special presentations from Assemblyman Jim Patterson and the office of Senator Andreas Borgeas. Representatives of The ALS Association Golden West Chapter will highlight the growth and changes for people with ALS and their families the past 20 years in the Fresno area as well as the shared vision for increasing care services, research, and public policy initiatives in support of the ALS community.
For more information about ALS or to register for the Walk to Defeat ALS, please visit CentralValleyWalktoDefeatALS.org. You may also contact Tammy Galt, Regional Director of Community Outreach in Central Valley, at (559) 285-0074 or tgalt@alsagoldenwest.org.
About The ALS Association and The Golden West Chapter
The mission of The ALS Association is to lead the fight to treat and cure ALS through global research and nationwide advocacy while also empowering people with Lou Gehrig’s Disease and their families to live fuller lives by providing them with compassionate care and support. We are a member of the National Health Council and the only national organization solely dedicated to fighting ALS on all fronts while directly serving the ALS community. By leading the way in global research, providing assistance for people with ALS through a nationwide network of chapters, coordinating multidisciplinary care through certified clinical care centers, and fostering government partnerships, The ALS Association builds hope and enhances quality of life while aggressively searching for new treatments and a cure. The Golden West Chapter serves people with ALS and their families in 31 counties throughout California and the state of Hawai’i. For more information, please visit to www.alsagoldenwest.org.
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