May is ALS Awareness Month!

Awareness is critical to our goal of ending ALS forever. The more people know about ALS, the more they get involved, and the more they support ALS advocacy and research. Through that support, we’ve made great strides toward finding potential treatments for ALS.

But we need your help to spread the word and keep the momentum going! It’s people like you who make everything we do possible. Here are a few ways you can take part in ALS Awareness Month:

Educate
Many people, even if they’ve heard of ALS, know very little about what the disease is or what it is like. So, we’ve created a short video that explains the signs and symptoms of ALS. Feel free to share it with others—through social media, email or even posting it on your own blog or website.

Remember, anytime you share or post something about ALS awareness, use the hashtag #ALSaware. That will make it easier for people to find more information on the topic, and increase the visibility of ALS Awareness Month.

Change Your Facebook Status to Red
Red is the official color of The ALS Association, and thanks to a new feature on Facebook, you can use this attention-grabbing color to bring awareness to the cause. Post red status updates about ALS Awareness Month and let your friends know that they can play a role in finding a cure! Below are instructions and sample status updates you can use.

To change your Facebook status background color:

• Click in the “What’s on your mind?” status update box.
• Click on “Background Color.”
• Click on the solid red circle (fourth circle from the left).
• Type in your status and click “Post.”

Share
We’ll be publishing blog posts (like this one) all month long, highlighting recent advances in research, inspirational stories of people with ALS, ways that people can learn more about the disease and ways they can get involved. An easy way to take part in spreading the word is to simply share these blog posts on your social media accounts. You can stay notified of each new post, and easily share them, by following us on Facebook or Twitter.

Fundraise
The biggest thing you can do in the fight against ALS is to help raise funds for research and essential services for people who have the disease. There are several ways you can either join a fundraiser or start one of your own:

• The Walk to Defeat ALS - There are hundreds of local walks held all over the country. Click here to find the one nearest you.
• Team Challenge ALS - If you’re looking for something that is more challenging than a walk, our Team Challenge ALS events include marathons, triathlons, bike rides and snow skiing.
• Community of Hope - You can set up your own tribute fund in honor or memory of someone’s battle with the disease. Start a fund or contribute to an existing fund here.
• One Dollar Difference - Set up your own custom fundraiser with One Dollar Difference. Our online tools provide everything you need.

Donate
Of course, the fastest and simplest way to fight ALS is to make a donation. And if you give now, your donation will have double the impact. One of our national partners, Quantum Rehab, is offering to match your donation, up to a combined total of $50,000!

Stay tuned for more throughout the month of May, and thanks for helping make ALS Awareness Month a success!