For 21 straight years, Group W has hoisted its wayward sign at the Cleveland Walk to Defeat ALS. Together, we've raised more than $50,000 to support The ALS Association Northern Ohio Chapter in memory of our fearless leader, Joanne P. Wilson. We are one of two teams to have participated in every Cleveland Walk since its inception in 2000.
Walk YOUR Way this year!
There's no excuse for not participating! To ensure everyone's safety, participants are able to walk wherever and whenever they like. Host a Mini-Walk with others in your "quarantine circle" or just take a stroll at your favorite park, around your neighborhood, or even your house! We will host an online Opening Ceremony on Sunday, September 13 at 10am, but there's no requirement that you walk that day. And like every year, feel free to simply make a donation. Just click a link from the list of wonderful Group W participants and donate.
COVID-19 is especially risky for those living with ALS. They are counting on us more than ever!
Why We Need Your Help
Often referred to as Lou Gehrig's Disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive, fatal neuromuscular disease that slowly robs the body of its ability to walk, speak, swallow and breathe. The life expectancy of an ALS patient averages 2 to 5 years from the time of diagnosis.
Every 90 minutes a person in this country is diagnosed with ALS and every 90 minutes another person will lose their battle against this disease. ALS occurs throughout the world with no racial, ethnic, or socioeconomic boundaries.
This crippling disease can strike anyone. Presently there is no known cause of the disease yet it still costs loved ones an average of $200,000 a year to provide the care ALS patients need. Help make a difference and donate or join a walk today.
These stats haven't changed since Lou Gehrig was diagnosed in 1939, but we're getting close! Thanks to your generous donations, and accelerated by the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge in 2014, we are very close to a viable treatment to slow progression. We are also gaining ground on a definitive diagnosis, which means that if we have a way to slow down the disease and diagnosis it early, people could live semi-normal lives with ALS. The Northern Ohio Chapter is preparing for ALS to become a chronic illness, rather than a death sentence, and we will not rest until we find the cure.
Thank you for brining us one step closer to our vision...to create a world without ALS.
