Every year, my friend, Meg Marlowe, participates in the Walk to Defeat ALS, which benefits research for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS.
Meg’s a great person, but beyond that, she has a very personal reason for her fundraising efforts—she lost her beloved mom to ALS, and she hopes that, one day, a cure will be found.
This disease is caused by clumps of protein that accumulate in the brain and attack the neurons that send and receive “messages” from the brain and spinal cord to the voluntary muscles. The onset usually occurs between the ages of 40 and 50.
At first, the person may notice only mild symptoms like trouble walking. As the muscles in the body continue to fail, voluntary motor skills decline and the person has more and more difficulty moving.
This disease is 100% fatal. Most people with ALS succumb to respiratory failure.
This is why Meg is so true to her cause; in fact, she and other volunteers may be helping scientists actually move the dial toward a cure.
Research recently revealed that stabilizing the protein that attacks the brain’s neurons may prevent or even—wait for it—CURE ALS. The study may lead to the development of future treatments, which would be more than welcome for the community because, right now, there are none. Until then, people like Meg will continue to help raise research dollars.
If you would like to participate in the Walk to Defeat ALS, contact the ALS Association to find a chapter near you.
