ALS Golden West

What Is ALS?

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, is a fatal, neurodegenerative illness that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. ALS robs a person of the ability to walk, talk, swallow, and to breathe. ALS affects women and men of all ages, ethnicities and socioeconomic backgrounds. For unknown reasons, U.S. military veterans are twice as likely to be diagnosed with ALS than civilians. As with most neurodegenerative diseases, currently there are no cures for ALS.

The average life expectancy of a person with ALS is two to five years from diagnosis.
As the disease progresses, people with ALS lose the ability to move, speak, swallow, and, eventually, to breathe – all while their minds and senses continue to function.
ALS is not contagious and does not discriminate – it affects men and women of all ages, ethnic backgrounds, and socioeconomic communities around the world.

Approximately 10% of those diagnosed have a hereditary or familial form of the disease.
People who have served in any branch of the military are diagnosed with ALS nearly twice as often as the general population.

Most people with ALS remain at home throughout the course of the disease and managing the progression of the disease is emotionally, physically and financially draining on families.

The annual costs for home care, coupled with the cost of necessary equipment (which includes speech, mobility, transportation, etc.) can exceed $200,000 per year.