The ALS Association Celebrates Supporters in the Quad Cities
Thanks to generous support for the ALS Association, the first ALS treatment drug in 22 years was approved this past May. While the search continues for more treatments and cure, community members in the Quad Cities have been fundraising to help support The ALS Association Iowa Chapter and Iowans who are battling ALS. The Quad Cities Walk to Defeat ALS will be held this Saturday to celebrate their support and help raise awareness of the disease.
ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Eventually, people with ALS lose the ability to initiate and control muscle movement, which often leads to total paralysis and death within two to five years of diagnosis. For unknown reasons, veterans are twice as likely to develop ALS. There is no cure, and only one drug modestly extends survival by a few months.
WHO: Josh Nuss, executive director of the ALS Association Iowa Chapter; families, friends & supporters will be available for photos and interviews.
WHERE: Modern Woodmen Park
WHAT: The Quad Cities Walk to Defeat ALS
WHEN: Saturday, August 19, 2017 at 10:30 a.m.
Walkers, families, friends, and supporters will gather at Modern Woodmen Park to hear about the ways that the funds have impacted Iowans fighting ALS, including the newest gene discovery that could help create biomarkers for targeting ALS therapies. Following this short program, everyone will be encouraged to take steps toward a cure along the walk path.
About The ALS Association The ALS Association is the only national non-profit organization fighting Lou Gehrig’s Disease on every front. 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 Association builds hope and enhances quality of life while aggressively searching for new treatments and a cure. For more information about The ALS Association Iowa Chapter, visit our website at www.alsaiowa.org.
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