As I was registering for the walk, I found myself with tears rolling down my face.  The reason being that this year I had to choose in memory of rather than in honor of.  As you know, we lost my mom in November after a 10 year battle with ALS.  I wish I could lie and say it was an easy 10 years but that would not be the reality.  The truth is, ALS is such a difficult illness for both the person with ALS and for the caregivers.  It's also a scary illness in that many people in the medical field don't have much experience in treating people with ALS.  We often found ourselves researching online and teaching ourselves how to best care for my mom.  

Growing up, I always had a close relationship with my mom and I can honestly say she was my best friend.  I could talk to her about anything and she would always listen and give great advice.  We especially loved going shopping together :)  We were lucky enough to teach at the same school for a couple of years.  That was all before ALS drastically changed our lives.  I remember the day she got diagnosed like it was yesterday.  It definately ranks up there as one of the toughest days of my life.  From that day forward it just seemed like constant change and whenever we seemed to be getting the hang of things we'd get another big hit and challenge from ALS.  I think only a few people close to me know the toll this took on us and how often I would cry myself to sleep because it was so hard to see my mom going through so many changes and honestly, I was physically and emotionally drained.  So why do I share this with all of you now?  Because somewhere in the world right now there's another daughter going through what I went through, willing to do anything to help her mom and desperate for a cure.  It hurts my heart to know that families will continue to go through the heartache that we went through.  ALS robbed my mom of so much, it robbed my sibblings and myself, and it robbed my children of their grandma.  We need a cure and we need it fast so that ALS will be a thing of the past.  I ask my friends and family to please consider walking with me and making a donation in memory of my mom and to give hope to those who are currently affected by ALS.

Why We Need Your Help

Often referred to as Lou Gehrig's Disease, 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 an ALS patient averages 2 to 5 years from the time of diagnosis.

Every 90 minutes a person in this country is diagnosed with ALS and every 90 minutes another person will lose their battle against this disease. ALS occurs throughout the world with no racial, ethnic, or socioeconomic boundaries.

This crippling disease can strike anyone. Presently there is no known cause of the disease though support is bringing researchers closer to an answer. In the mean time it costs an average of $200,000 a year to provide the care ALS patients need. Help make a difference and donate or join a walk today.

If you think this page contains objectionable content, please inform the system administrator.