What Is ALS?
ALS was first found in 1869 by French neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot, but it wasn’t until 1939 that Lou Gehrig brought national and international attention to the disease. Ending the career of one of the most beloved baseball players of all time, the disease is still most closely associated with his name. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Motor neurons reach from the brain to the spinal cord and from the spinal cord to the muscles throughout the body. The progressive degeneration of the motor neurons in ALS eventually leads to their death. When the motor neurons die, the ability of the brain to initiate and control muscle movement is lost. With voluntary muscle action progressively affected, patients in the later stages of the disease may become totally paralyzed.
16,000
Over 16,000 Americans are living with ALS at any time. Many don’t know it
5,000
5,000 new cases diagnosed each year
90%
90% of cases occur without previous family history
55
The average age of onset is 55 years old
90
Every 90 minutes Someone is diagnosed with ALS
90%
90% of cases are inherited through family genes
What Can you Do To Help?
Get Educated
Visit the Rock Mountain ALS Association
to learn more.
Get Involved
Support LLLB financially, participate in an event, or help support a local family affected by ALS.
Donate
We all deserve to live in a world free from ALS. By becoming educated and getting involved you can play a major role in finding a cure.
