ALS Association Celebrates ALS Awareness Month
May is Awareness Month for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The ALS Association is celebrating this year in hopes of topping the huge awareness that was generated last summer through the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge and the incredibly enormous impact it had on the fight against the disease. To continue the momentum, The Association is now encouraging the 17 million people that have uploaded videos to social media to go beyond the bucket and Challenge ALS® this May: to participate, advocate or donate.
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by the ultimate death of motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord. As a result, the brain control of muscle movement is lost and patients end up losing the ability speak, eat, move and breathe.
Google’s estimates say that last August registered more people searching for information concerning ALS than in the entire last decade. The ALS Association is extremely grateful for the increased awareness and for the $115 million received in donations. The investments made with this money can be reviewed here.
“This ALS Awareness Month is like no other because of the connection this disease now has with millions more people than ever before. I’m confident that together, we can achieve what no one can do alone—a world without ALS,” said Barbara Newhouse in a press release.
To develop a drug to slow down or stop the progression of the disease can cost up to $2 billion. There is only one drug currently approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration, and it only extends the survival of those with ALS by 2 or 3 months.
“The fight against this disease didn’t start and end last summer, and we’re counting on people to get reengaged in the fight against ALS this May,” said Newhouse.
The ALS Association has created a special engagement section on their website to facilitate the process for those who want to get involved.
This year, Quantum® Rehab is going to be the official sponsor of ALS Awareness Month, and The Association is honored since Quantum is a premier partner and sponsor for events such as the Walk to Defeat ALS®. It is a Pride Mobility Products® Corporation firm that designs and manufactures complex rehabilitation solutions to those with comprehensive mobility needs.
