About Our Chapter
About Our Chapter

Chapter Highlights

Debut of the 2021 Massachusetts Ride to Defeat ALS Jersey

Ride to Defeat ALS - Sunday, September 19, 2021

Longfellow Health Club, Wayland, MA

Make sure you're registered for this year's Ride to Defeat ALS! Every participant that raises at least $500 will receive this exclusive cycling jersey!

REGISTER FOR THE RIDE TO DEFEAT ALS

 

Ride to Defeat ALS Sponsor Logos July 2021

 

 

 

Worcester Walk to Defeat ALS - Sunday, September 26, 2021

Polar Park, Worcester, MA

REGISTER FOR THE WORCESTER WALK TO DEFEAT ALS

Worcester Walk to Defeat ALS Sponsor Logos August 2021

 

 

 

Boston Walk to Defeat ALS - Sunday, October 3, 2021

Carson Beach, Boston, MA

REGISTER FOR THE BOSTON WALK TO DEFEAT ALS

Boston Walk to Defeat ALS Sponsor Logos July 2021

 

Western Mass Walk to Defeat ALS -  Sunday, October 10, 2021

Look Memorial Park, Florence, MA

REGISTER FOR THE WESTERN MASS WALK TO DEFEAT ALS

Exciting News About the Western MA Walk to Defeat ALS

 📣 We have some exciting news about the Western MA Walk to Defeat ALS! 📣 

We're thrilled to announce this new development to our Western MA Walk - watch the video by clicking here to learn more!

 

Western MA Walk to Defeat ALS Sponsor Logos August 2021

 

 

North Shore Walk to Defeat ALS - Sunday, October 17, 2021

Endicott College, Beverly, MA

REGISTER FOR THE NORTH SHORE WALK TO DEFEAT ALS

North Shore Walk to Defeat ALS Sponsor Logos July 2021
Who Do You Walk For? Walk to Defeat ALS 2021

Who do YOU walk for when you Walk to Defeat ALS?

We want to hear YOUR story!

We all have our reasons for Walking to Defeat ALS - and we want to hear yours! Send us a picture or two with a few sentences about why you or your team participates in the Massachusetts Walk to Defeat ALS. We want to share your story with our Massachusetts ALS community! Featured participants and teams will be showcased on the Chapter's social media with a direct link to their fundraising page! 

Submit Your Story & Photos Here

Now is the time to register for one of our 2021 Massachusetts Events! We just can't wait to see you all in person again this Fall. With any questions surrounding our 2021 events, contact Ashley Carrier at [email protected]ls-ma.org. 

Make sure you're following us and keep an eye on our social media for updates on all our events and MORE throughout the year! 

Facebook Instagram Twitter 

YouTube LINKEDIN

Is your company interested in getting involved with our chapter or events?

Contact Ashley Carrier

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Camp Hope Loves Company 2021 New Date and Location

*BREAKING NEWS! NEW EVENT LOCATION & DATE!*

Save the Date for Camp Hope Loves Company Massachusetts being held on August 27-29, 2021 at YMCA Woodstock in Woodstock Valley, CT! We are so excited to see you all at camp this summer - share with family and friends and invite them to sign up! 

Register for Camp Hope Loves Company Massachusetts 

Learn More About Hope Loves Company By Watching This Presentation by Executive Director Cara Haggerty

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August Community Groups

Register today for our completely virtual Community Groups from the comfort and safety of your own home! This month we have four groups meeting throughout the month at various times so you can choose what best fits your needs and schedule. We hope you'll join us for at least one of these wonderful groups but feel free to attend them all! Contact [email protected] with any questions. 

Evening Community Group

Wednesday, August 4, 2021 6:00-7:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Massachusetts Virtual Community Group

Tuesday, August 10, 2021 2:00-3:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Massachusetts Virtual Community Group

Thursday, August 19, 2021 3:00-4:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Caregiver Cocktail Hour Community Group

Tuesday, August 24, 2021 7:00-8:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
NORD MedicAlert® Assistance Program Flyer Image 2021

NORD's MedicAlert® Assistance Program

NORD’s MedicAlert Assistance Program provides MedicAlert products and services to eligible individuals in the rare disease community. If someone with a rare disease can’t speak for themselves in an emergency, MedicAlert can be their voice in providing important and potentially life-saving information. The program provides eligible individuals with a MedicAlert product and 3-years of membership.

Learn More Here

Man Living with ALS Being Fitted with Breathing Device

Day in My Life Project: An Inside Look at ALS

Are you or someone you love currently living with ALS? We need your help!

So often, people who have never been exposed to ALS have no knowledge about what the day to day looks like for a family affected by ALS. Here’s where you come in!

We’d love you to take videos (and photos if you wish!) of various activities you engage in daily. This could be:

  • Using DME/LME in or outside of your home
  • Living with a PEG tube
  • AAC communication with caregivers (hired or living in your household)
  • Meal time routines with adaptive utensils
  • Trach and vent use (maybe someone who is on 24/7)
  • Power Wheelchair use inside and outside the home – to include a ramp?
  • Transfers from bed (with hoyer lift) to power wheel chair
  • Anything else you think you want to share!
  • You can also choose to include a video of telling your (or your loved one’s) diagnosis story and/or how The ALS Association Massachusetts Chapter helps your family on your ALS journey.

We hope through this program we can help educate those who do not have intimate knowledge of what living with ALS is like. This series will also help families just starting their ALS journey feel like they’re not alone and that there are others who understand what they’re going through every day.

Contact Our Communications & Marketing Manager to Participate

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Augmentative Communication Tablet Devices with Various Accessories

Communication Device Donations Needed in Massachusetts!

We need your help! We rely on donations of dedicated speech generating devices (SGDs), with and without eye tracking cameras for our Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) and Assistive Technology (AT) Loan Program. We also rely on donations of SGD mounts (wheelchair and rolling floor mounts). Our current eyegaze device inventory in our AAC/AT loan program is critically low. If you obtained a SGD through insurance and it is no longer being used, please consider donating it to our chapter, so we can help another person with ALS in need.The Impact of COVID-19 on AAC Services: Access to AAC evaluations with qualified speech-language pathologists has been challenging during the COVID pandemic and Medicare does not cover these evaluations when they are delivered via telehealth. Therefore, it can be difficult for people with ALS to obtain necessary SGDs through their insurance. For people with ALS living in long term care facilities with severely restricted visitation due to COVID-19, a loaned SGD may serve as their only safe connection with their family and friends. Your tax-deductible donation can make a significant impact for a person with ALS!
We are seeking SGDs that are preferably less than 4 years old (Please email Jen at [email protected] with questions about donating older devices).

  • Tobii Dynavox I-12 or I-15, preferably 2017 or newer, or I-13/I-16
  • PRC Accent with NuEye or Look eyegaze
  • Eye Gaze Inc. (Formerly LC Technologies) EyeGaze Edge
  • Forbes AAC (Formerly FRS) Winslate with Enable Eyes eyegaze camera
  • Talk To Me Technologies Zuvo with eyespeak camera
  • NeuroNode Trilogy

We are also in need of wheelchair or rolling floor mounts for SGDs. If you would like to donate a wheelchair mount, please let us know the wheelchair year, make and model.

  • ConnectIT mounts
  • Rehadapt mounts – Classic or Pentalock
  • Daessy mounts
Interested in donating?

Please contact Jennifer Chapin, Speech Pathologist and AAC Specialist,

at (781) 234-5307 or via email [email protected].

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About Our Chapter