With congressional leaders scheduled to begin work on additional stimulus legislation in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, The ALS Association is continuing to push to include protecting access to noninvasive ventilators (NIV) and to making sure people with ALS can access their Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) in the coronavirus response packages.

Like most grandparents, Lesley Krummel took great joy in picking up her grandkids. And that loss is one of the most challenging aspects of her ALS progression.

Tom Mountin’s ALS diagnosis came as quite a shock in August 2016. “Before that, I was a tax attorney and thinking about retirement and all of a sudden, oh, I guess we're going to accelerate this retirement,” he said.

ALS Association chapter executives from across the country held more than 250 meetings with members of Congress Wednesday as part of the Association’s annual “fly in” advocacy push. While the meetings generally occur in-person in Washington, D.C., this year’s discussions shifted to virtual platforms in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and emerging social distancing and shelter in place rules across the country. 

The ALS Association is excited to announce $1.4 million in grants to help develop technology that will enhance the quality of life for people living with ALS. The funding supports research in fields ranging from assistive communications and noninvasive ventilation to wearable sensors and a brain-computer interface. 

The ALS Association is accepting applications for the Jane Calmes ALS Scholarship Fund, which was established in 2019 to support post-high school education for students whose lives have been impacted by ALS. Scholarship recipients receive up to $5,000 per year to help cover the cost of education.

March 23, 2020 – We have received many questions about COVID-19 and its impact on people with ALS, their families, and their caregivers. We convened a panel of volunteers and staff to answer these questions – their bios are at the bottom. This situation is rapidly changing. We will update this FAQ as we receive more questions and more current information.

Steve Kowalski was active and healthy in 2017 when he says he noticed his toes weren’t working quite right. That, coupled with a few inexplicable falls, led him to get it checked out. After a two-and-a-half-hour doctor’s visit, he was diagnosed with ALS.

In response to congressional action, The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services notified providers of a new option for expanded Medicare coverage for telehealth visits.  These changes temporarily remove originating site and geographic restrictions from coverage of telehealth under Medicare fee-for-service. 

This is a rapidly evolving situation and The ALS Association will continue to update you on how we are serving the ALS community throughout COVID-19. For the most recent information about COVID-19, The ALS Association recommends visiting the CDC and the World Health Organization (WHO) websites.

When Christian James was heading to the neurologist at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, his son, a student at UC at the time, met up with him for the appointment.

On March 5, The ALS Association launched a weekly podcast, Connecting ALS, that will shine a national spotlight on the people, research, and policy issues central to the fight against ALS. 

For the most recent information about the coronavirus (COVID-19), The ALS Association recommends that you reference the websites for the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Two days before her birthday in January 2018, Susan Hoerber was diagnosed with ALS. “I was symptomatic for about four years. I knew there was something terribly wrong,” she said. Susan first noticed her symptoms when she struggled to hold a fishing pole. “I was an avid fisherman and outdoors person,” she said. “That's the first time I got kind of scared and I went to the neurologist.”

This article was originally published on the blog of the ALS Society of Canada on November 15, 2019, with kind thanks for their permission to reuse it.

The first thing one notices upon walking into Jeff and Darlene’s airy bungalow is the feeling of warmth and love that reaches into every corner: it’s present in the family photos that adorn the walls and the tasteful trinkets carrying messages of friendship and hope. And it’s a stark contrast to the second thing that’s evident: the soft, motorized whir of the breathing machine that keeps Jeff alive. It’s a constant reminder of the thin line between life and death – a line with which Jeff and Darlene are all too familiar.

While recent years have brought a wealth of new scientific understanding regarding the physiology of ALS, there is still some mystery and misinformation surrounding the disease.

After a lifetime of participating in and leading two-a-day practice sessions, as a running back at the University of Alabama and the NFL, and later becoming a strength and conditioning coach in the NFL, Kerry Goode knew something was wrong when he couldn’t pick up a box.

As 2019 winds down, we look back on some of the important progress made this year in the fight to change the future of ALS. With the hard work and help from so many across the ALS community, the ALS Association was able to make great strides in our key mission areas, bringing us one step closer to our vision of a world without ALS.

Our home has always been filled with family, friends, and joyful celebrations during the holiday season. It’s a time to connect with loved ones and create lasting memories. After my dad was diagnosed with ALS in March of 2017, creating holiday memories became especially important for our family. The average life expectancy for someone with this disease is 2 to 5 years, so we understand that every moment we spend together is precious.

With heavy hearts, The ALS Association joins the ALS community in celebrating the legacy and mourning the loss of Pete Frates, who died Monday at age 34 after a seven-year battle with ALS. Pete lived a Hall of Fame life.