May 2013
Mike: Mission Possible | Des Moines, IA
It is with a heavy heart that we write an update on Mike, Kim and Ruby’s incredible story… After an extremely brave battle with ALS, Mike Poll, 28, passed away Friday, October 25, 2013. The ALS Association Iowa Chapter would like to take the opportunity to thank the Poll family for the awareness, advocacy and fundraising shown throughout Mike’s courageous battle with ALS. Additionally, we would like to share our appreciation for the inspiration they have been to so many people. Their faith and positivity throughout this journey has been nothing short of amazing.
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Their story started off like most classic romances: boy meets girl, they fall in love, and get married. Here's where that story takes an unexpected turn. That boy is a man named Mike Poll and Mike was diagnosed with ALS in 2009. Shortly after his diagnosis, Mike and Kim found out they were expecting their first child, a beautiful baby girl named Ruby. An ALS diagnosis is a tough hand to be dealt at any stage in life, but it seems particularly tragic to see adults in their prime with this disease.
The family hasn't let ALS slow them down, and has instead, decided to fight back! They have been involved as a Family and Friends Team in the Des Moines, IA Walk to Defeat ALS for the past 5 years. Their team, Mike: Mission Possible has raised over $53,000!!
This is their story, as told by Team Captain and wife/superhero, Kim Poll:
Mike is my husband, best friend, love of my life, daddy of our beautiful girl and my better half, most days. I would give the world for him and if the Walk is one way to raise money to find a cure for ALS and give us the hope of a normal life back together, you bet I will! Our family functions best when all the pieces are there and Mike needs to stick with Ruby and me. Really it’s a matter of the heart and what we are willing to do, to help those we love the most.
The Team
Our team “Mike: Mission Possible” tends to need very little rallying, but that’s because each one of us has our hearts and minds in the right place. The team consists of family, friends, and colleagues, hailing from work, school, church, and others we have met along our adventure. Our team sports t-shirts decked out in blue and maize in honor of Mike’s favorite collegiate team, the Michigan Wolverines. Even solid Iowa Hawkeye fans, have donned blue and maize for Mike. Team week, set up by the local ALS chapter, is a great week to get team members signed up, thinking about fundraising, and raising funds. I’ve also been known to send out quite a few e-mails that week to get them on the ball and pumped for the walk.
Our team has an amazing collection of fundraisers done by various members of the team throughout the year. I, myself, like to sell my homemade frozen cookie dough. Others on our team sell a family favorite, pig-in-the-blankest. Any fellow Dutchmen out there hopefully knows what a true pig-in-the-blanket is. One sells her famous homemade cinnamon rolls, while others have held bake sales, silent auctions, a hog roast, a Belgian waffle supper, or made and canned fresh summer salsa from their gardens. The amazing part is most of those are annual!
Our team also does a lot of online fundraising alongside more traditional face to face fundraising. Our world moves at a fast pace and online donations are quick for people. It also gives some donors the chance to donate to a team anonymously which for some is their humble way of helping out.
The Advice
Mike keeps a positive attitude and a smile on his face to let others know that if his battle with ALS comes to an end the best is yet to come in heaven.
Being a participant in the walk is very empowering. Some days it seems that there aren’t many things we can do to help stop ALS. This is one of them. The day itself lends nothing more than good vibes, hope, encouragement and love. It may sound cliché, but it’s true. Dealing with ALS can present days that are filled with frustration, anger, disappointment and raw emotions can’t be concealed. Having a team of supporters in the walk reinforces the number of people who will and want to stand next to you through it all. Whether you are a new or returning team, remember it’s not who raises the most money, which team has the coolest shirts or who has the most team mates. Those things are all great, but you have to share your passion for a cure and let others know that you are walking for someone who no longer has the chance to do so, wishes they could walk alongside you as they wheel on by or knows that someday they too may not have the strength to walk in one more walk before their bodies give way to the effects of ALS.
