ST. LOUIS — The St. Louis Walk to Defeat ALS took off Saturday morning in Forest Park. Organizers and participants hope to fund disease research and help find a cure.
The ALS Association's St. Louis Regional Chapter hosted the walk and are collecting donations to help those dealing with the disease. ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord.
The condition impacts the body's ability to store nourishment in the muscle, causing an "amyotrpohic state," which can then harm nerve cells in the spinal cord, a "lateral" area where muscle signal and control are found. The spinal cord can become scarred or hardened, resulting in "sclerosis."
Every hour a person is diagnosed with the disease, and someone dies from it.
"This fatal disease can strike anyone at any time. It takes away the freedom to walk, to talk, to run and dance. To laugh. To hug. To eat. To breathe. We fight to give that independence back – and help empower people to live life to the fullest," the association said.
The walk raised awareness and money for those facing ALS and their families. If you didn't attend the walk, there is still a way to help.
The association is receiving donations to provide care and support to those battling the disease and their loved ones. To make a one-time or monthly donation, visit the ALS Association website and change a life.
There are several options to steer your donation in the right direction, including to the St. Louis Regional Chapter in Illinois or Missouri.
