What is ALS?
Say ALS, and most people give you a blank stare. Tell them Lou Gehrig’s Disease and you get a nod of recognition. But there is probably little knowledge of the destructive power those three letters represent.
ALS, short for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, causes the progressive death of the motor nerve cells that operate muscles. This robs the brain of the ability to initiate and control movement. Most victims of ALS, their cognitive abilities unaffected by the disease, must watch and feel their bodies deteriorate. It can be a slow and arduous path with the majority of patients dying from complications related to ALS within two to five years of diagnosis.
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