I regret to say that this years ALS Awareness month has been the least active for me since I became aware of the disease years ago. Next year, I hope to be able to take it to another level entirely but that is next year (if the video where I mention it during an event here at Harvard makes it online, I will be sure to share it with everyone!). Please help me salvage my awareness efforts though? Share this status/these facts with as many people as you know. Awareness is the first step to getting people interested in helping the cause. For those of you who do not know what ALS is, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a progressive, fatal disease that attacks the motor neurons in your brain and spinal chord. Motor neurons are responsible for sending signals to muscles to get them to move. Imagine starting to lose the ability to walk, swallow, and/or even breathe. That is the world that those suffering from ALS live everyday. The cause for this disease is unknown and there is currently no known cure. Why havent more people heard of ALS? Well, maybe you have and you just havent connected the dots yet? ALS is also called Lou Gehrigs disease. For those of you who are fans of baseball, you probably recognize that name. It is called Lou Gehrigs since it is the disease that the famous athlete eventually succumbed to. Not into baseball? Are you into science? Ever heard of Stephen Hawking? The reason he cannot speak and is stuck in a wheelchair is ALS. That is ALS. That is what it does to you. Stephen has actually defied the odds by living way past the age that most ALS patients survive to. All of that being said, you now have an idea how ALS brings your life to a standstill. How do these people keep living though? The lives of those suffering from ALS are possible because of two things (as I see them): 1) The will-power of those who get the disease, to keep fighting past what life is tying them down with and to not lose faith in their ability to live 2) The often unspoken and overlooked soldiers (aka family members and loved ones) who sacrifice so much to make life a tad easier for those suffering from ALS I have heard of such strong people. Such strong families. It brings tears to my eyes to hear of theirs sufferings but I also see the intense love and affection that allows them to pull through together. Seeing such affection in such sadness really is moving. What can you do to help them though, you ask? Professor Kevin Eggan and his team have made great strides in learning about ALS, recently. Please, anyone who can, join Professor Eggans research team! People who do not go to Harvard, work with professors at your own schools; do research at your respective institutions! If you cant do that then, in the very least, tell some friends about ALS and why they should care. No one knows how ALS occurs. You never know who might get ALS next. It really is a scary thought. Lets act together to get rid of ALS now and forever! If we work together, we can do this! Lets make the world a better place ^_^
Posted on: Sat, 24 May 2014 07:14:51 +0000
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