ALS Ice Bucket Challenge Progress
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Dear Friends: It is with great sadness that I share with you that on Friday, January 27, surrounded by his family at his home in Northern California, Dr. Richard K. Olney passed away peacefully after an eight-year battle with ALS. An announcement is being prepared to send to the entire National ALS community later today, as well as to the media. Our Chapter has also written a special article, profiling Olney’s contributions to the ALS community and his journey with the disease. For those of you who may not know, Dr. Olney was a neurologist who dedicated his life to ALS research and patient care. He was internationally known for his clinical innovations, devotion to teaching, groundbreaking neurophysiological research and a strong belief in the team approach to the management of ALS. In 1993, Dr. Olney founded the ALS Center at UCSF to provide multi-disciplinary care to people with ALS, which became an ALS Association Certified Center of Excellence in 2001. As a neurologist and ALS researcher, he has written more than 60 scientific papers and is known throughout the world as a leader in the ALS community. In June 2004, Dr. Olney himself was diagnosed with ALS. Since that time, he continued in his efforts to help fight Lou Gehrig's disease. He became an active participant in clinical research trials. Olney continued to raise public awareness in the media through numerous articles and interviews featured in the San Francisco Chronicle, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, ABC World News Tonight, 20/20, CBS Morning and Evening News to name a few. Because of his incredible commitment and efforts, he was named our Chapter's ALS All Star Award Recipient in 2007. As a person living with ALS, Dr. Olney was regarded as a role model world-wide, due to his dedication to educate the public, efforts to advance research towards a cure, and sharing his experiences with the disease. In his private life, he cherished his family deeply, including his wife Paula of 38 years; daughter Amy and son-in-law, Ryan Dobbs; son Nicholas Olney, daughter-in-law, Caroline, and new grandson Richard Knox Olney, known as "little Ricky", as well as many friends, neighbors, and loved ones. Dr. Olney and his family were dedicated supporters of The ALS Association Golden West Chapter. They attended and participated in many Chapter advocacy efforts, fundraising events, and community events like our Walks and Rides. His family is grateful for the support and kindnesses extended to them by the entire ALS community. You may send your own personal message to the family any time you wish. Neurology has lost a visionary researcher, a compassionate healer, and an inspiring mentor. His legacy leaves behind a clinic that only his compassionate spirit could have built, and will forever be the foundation of The ALS Center at UCSF. The world has lost an amazing human being. Sincerely,
Fred Fisher,
LCSW, MSW |
“Dr. Olney will be remembered not only as a courageous person with ALS, but someone who as an outstanding clinician and scientist made major contributions both for patients and the scientific field,” said ALS Association Chief Scientist Lucie Bruijn, Ph.D. “He has been an inspiration to those of us who work every day to understand the disease with a hope to find meaningful therapies for ALS. It is an honor to have known him personally, and The ALS Association is proud to have funded his important studies to identify genetic and environmental influences that impact the disease.”
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Dear Friends: It is with great sadness that I share with you that on Friday, January 27, surrounded by his family at his home in Northern California, Dr. Richard K. Olney passed away peacefully after an eight-year battle with ALS. An announcement is being prepared to send to the entire National ALS community later today, as well as to the media. Our Chapter has also written a special article, profiling Olney’s contributions to the ALS community and his journey with the disease. For those of you who may not know, Dr. Olney was a neurologist who dedicated his life to ALS research and patient care. He was internationally known for his clinical innovations, devotion to teaching, groundbreaking neurophysiological research and a strong belief in the team approach to the management of ALS. In 1993, Dr. Olney founded the ALS Center at UCSF to provide multi-disciplinary care to people with ALS, which became an ALS Association Certified Center of Excellence in 2001. As a neurologist and ALS researcher, he has written more than 60 scientific papers and is known throughout the world as a leader in the ALS community. In June 2004, Dr. Olney himself was diagnosed with ALS. Since that time, he continued in his efforts to help fight Lou Gehrig's disease. He became an active participant in clinical research trials. Olney continued to raise public awareness in the media through numerous articles and interviews featured in the San Francisco Chronicle, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, ABC World News Tonight, 20/20, CBS Morning and Evening News to name a few. Because of his incredible commitment and efforts, he was named our Chapter's ALS All Star Award Recipient in 2007. As a person living with ALS, Dr. Olney was regarded as a role model world-wide, due to his dedication to educate the public, efforts to advance research towards a cure, and sharing his experiences with the disease. In his private life, he cherished his family deeply, including his wife Paula of 38 years; daughter Amy and son-in-law, Ryan Dobbs; son Nicholas Olney, daughter-in-law, Caroline, and new grandson Richard Knox Olney, known as "little Ricky", as well as many friends, neighbors, and loved ones. Dr. Olney and his family were dedicated supporters of The ALS Association Golden West Chapter. They attended and participated in many Chapter advocacy efforts, fundraising events, and community events like our Walks and Rides. His family is grateful for the support and kindnesses extended to them by the entire ALS community. You may send your own personal message to the family any time you wish. Neurology has lost a visionary researcher, a compassionate healer, and an inspiring mentor. His legacy leaves behind a clinic that only his compassionate spirit could have built, and will forever be the foundation of The ALS Center at UCSF. The world has lost an amazing human being. Sincerely,
Fred Fisher,
LCSW, MSW |
“Dr. Olney will be remembered not only as a courageous person with ALS, but someone who as an outstanding clinician and scientist made major contributions both for patients and the scientific field,” said ALS Association Chief Scientist Lucie Bruijn, Ph.D. “He has been an inspiration to those of us who work every day to understand the disease with a hope to find meaningful therapies for ALS. It is an honor to have known him personally, and The ALS Association is proud to have funded his important studies to identify genetic and environmental influences that impact the disease.”
