Thank you for helping me reach my Walk to Defeat ALS® fundraising goal! This is an exciting opportunity for us to work together to support those affected by Lou Gehrig's Disease and to spread awareness of the urgency to find treatments and a cure.

Please consider walking virtually with me or sponsoring me. With your help, we will be able to make a difference in the lives of people affected by this disease. I encourage you to get your friends, family, neighbors and coworkers involved!

I became involved in the Walk to Defeat ALS because my best friend and soul mate, my husband Bruce, was diagnosed with ALS in September 2013. SInce that time our lives changed as we learned to cope with this disease. We traveled and got together with family and friends for as long as Bruce was able, but eventually, he could no longer leave our home for anything but doctor appointments. You know the saying that it takes a village? Well, we had a dedicated team of caregivers helping with his care, and I am grateful for all of them. We were also blessed to have wonderful and caring friends who stopped by and helped out in so many ways. And our neighborhood was our village, too!  They provided meals for the last couple of years of Bruce's life and those meals definitely kept me going! 

Sadly, Bruce died March 11, 2019, but his legacy lives on in our children and our grandsons, Bruce and Brian. I stay busy with my duties as worship coordinator at our church, helping to plan our remote services during sheltering at home. Like many of you, due to the pandemic I haven't been out much, but I have been able to get together with my local kids and grandsons. We also keep in touch with each other through Zoom game nights. With vaccines becoming more available we hope to be able to get out more soon. My two dogs have been great company. We take 2-3 mile walks most days, which has been a great way to stay in shape! It's hard being alone after almost 40 years of marriage, but I am blessed by my family and their care and support, and I am blessed to have the support and love of friends at church and outside of church. Thank you all for your prayers and support, for my family as well as for other families 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.

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