Having a family member with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) can strain household finances as well as the emotions of caregivers and other relatives. To help relieve some of that financial burden, the Jane Calmes ALS Scholarship Fund was established four years ago to support post-high school education for…
As I’ve pointed out several times in this column, public awareness of ALS is vital to obtaining and sustaining progress in finding solutions to the myriad issues associated with the disease. Have you ever heard of NurOwn? It’s a stem cell therapy that is being considered for…
Air Force veteran Daniel knows how to succeed in tough conditions. When ALS threw him for a loop, he turned to the ALS community for the guidance to live life one day at a time. Read how Daniel found allies in fighting ALS.
While many couples celebrating an anniversary post joyous messages and proclaim their excitement about the future on social media, I couldn’t bring myself to do the same when my husband, Todd, and I reached our 20th wedding anniversary a couple weeks ago. It’s not because we don’t have a good…
Treatment with regulatory T-cells (Tregs), a type of anti-inflammatory immune cell, reduced biomarker levels of inflammation and oxidative stress in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a study shows. The experimental approach may help curb these contributions to nerve cell damage in ALS, the findings suggest, and routinely…
Living with ALS can be an emotional roller coaster. However, I’ve found that when I round the bend and find humor in a situation, I’m sure to have a smooth ride ahead. Let me share my latest experience with you. Before ALS, my life was filled with moving.
Note: This story was updated Sept. 25, 2023, to correct that TW001 uses the same active ingredient as Radicava and Radicava ORS but is a different therapy. Treeway has chosen Specialised Therapeutics Asia, known as ST, as its partner to market TW001, an oral formulation of edaravone, for…
Have you ever tried to assemble something or repair something only to finally give up and seek help? Such episodes were among my greatest frustrations before I was stricken with ALS. In retrospect, they feel like mere child’s play when compared with what I go through now. As a…
Mutations in the C9ORF7 gene, the most common genetic cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), lead to defects in the stem cells needed for brain development in the early stages of life, a new study shows. In animal models of the disease, this resulted in smaller than normal volumes…
We had a young visitor this past weekend who met my husband’s disability with frank curiosity and innocent sweetness. The guest, Todd’s 6-year-old great-nephew, watched with interest as I set up his Uncle Todd at the computer. “What is that for?” he asked as I put Todd’s sip-and-puff…
