Amyothrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) or Lou Gehrig's disease is an impartial neurological disorder with no known cause or cure. It strikes blindly at approximately 5,000 people in the United States annually and terminally incapacitates muscle use and control. This neuro-degenerative disease progressively paralyzes its victims as the motor neurons in the brain and spine die. As the motor neurons die they can no longer send impulses to the muscles. Because the muscles are no longer stimulated they begin to waste away (atrophy), causing ever-increasing muscle weakness.

ALS does not impair; intellect, the senses of taste, smell and touch, vision and hearing, nor bladder, bowel or sexual functions. Initial symptoms may be "thick" speech or difficulty in voice projection and twitching and cramping of muscles. As the disease progresses the following symptoms are prevalent; impaired use of hands, arms, legs and feet, weight loss, weakness and fatigue. As the disease becomes more severe the ALS patient experiences paralysis, and difficulty breathing and swallowing. Death usually results from respiratory failure in 3 to 5 years from diagnosis.

BUT THERE IS HOPE…