Guest Post by Deborah Mast
Its ALS awareness month. ALS is 100% fatal. There are no cures and only one drug which may or may not extend life by a couple of months. I thought for a couple of days on how I want to seek awareness.
I decided that sharing the facts would be best and sharing that discrimination is not part of this fatal disease. It hits all ages, different ethnicities and can be passed down to several family members.
I have seen a young lady in her 20’s sitting at clinic instead of college, I have known young mothers, young fathers, a mother fighting ALS…who’s own son has been diagnosed. I know a women who has lost her mother, two brothers, two sisters and a aunt. I have watched small children say goodbye to one of their parents.
Although it usually strikes around age 55, doctors report that patients seem to be getting younger, for reasons they don’t understand. They’re increasingly encountering ALS patients in their twenties, thirties, even in their late teens.
I have known family members who may never recover from the battle with this grueling disease. I have known families who are financially devastated.
The facts are… there’s very little assistance for families with this disease, research is being done but yet the rates of ALS are continuing to climb and the ages are getting younger. I personally know the struggles this devastating disease causes.
The odds have increased. You will know someone with this disease. Can it be your family, your children, wife, husband, or friend? It did mine and I had no clue what this disease was.
You say what can I do? You can make awareness count buy sharing, by donating to research, by reaching out to those who are suffering and by signing laws into place to help these families and to help research. This is a disease that’s has spent a long time in the shadows just waiting for a break through.
Thank you for loving me enough to read this post.
Posted by permission of the author. One picture added to original post.