According to a story from princetoninfo.com, Sara Cooper was diagnosed last November with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Sara has had an active career as an event planner, marketing consultant, and real estate broker. Unfortunately, as her disease progresses, Sara is facing the grim reality that she can’t do the things that she used to do. Platitudes about strength may feel like a tired cliche when talking about progressive, degenerative diseases, but how can patients find it when their bodies are failing?
About Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, otherwise known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a rare, degenerative disease that causes the death of nerve cells associated with the voluntary muscles. Little is known about the origins of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, with no definitive cause in about 95 percent of cases. The remaining five percent appear to inherit the disease from their parents. Symptoms initially include loss of coordination, muscle weakness and atrophy, muscle stiffness and cramping, and trouble speaking, breathing, or swallowing. These symptoms worsen steadily over time; most patients die because of respiratory complications. Treatment is mostly symptomatic and the medication riluzole can prolong life. Life expectancy after diagnosis ranges from two to four years, but some patients can survive for substantially longer. To learn more about amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, click here.
Sara’s Story
Sara, who once loved hosting guests and is trained as a chef, now says that even lifting a plate is beyond her. She hopes to use her diagnosis as a way to help spread awareness about the disease. She also received the 2019 Impact Award at the Princeton Regional Chamber of Commerce’s Women of Achievement Awards Breakfast in recognition of both her bravery in the face of her diagnosis and her years as a marketing consultant.
Sara says that her network of support, both in personal and professional circles, was critical for helping her cope with the reality that she had amytrophic lateral sclerosis. A group from this network, including her brother, have established a nonprofit organization called Help For ALS to help with spreading awareness.
Ultimately, Sara’s response has been to remain as active as possible while her physical abilities still allow it. To support Help For ALS, click here.
