A L S

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"Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), often referred to as "Lou Gehrig's Disease," 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.

The Walk to Defeat ALS^™ was launched in 1999, and is The ALS Association’s largest nationwide fundraising event. It is designed to raise money to find a cure for ALS and to increase awareness of the disease. The Walk to Defeat ALS^™ has grown, with 150,000 participants nationwide raising more than $18.7 million each year to support the year-round work of The ALS Association.

In Florida, the event continues to be a milestone in our community‘s effort to combat this devastating disease. Since its inception, Walk to Defeat ALS^™ participants and sponsors have made this event Florida’s most powerful and effective response to ALS. Held in five locations throughout Florida, the Walk to Defeat ALS^™ empowers patients, friends, families, and the business community to do something about a disease that leaves many feeling powerless.

The Walk to Defeat ALS^™ is on target to raise a projected $1-million throughout Florida in 2009. The Walk is recognized as one of the most cost-efficient fundraising events in the United States: $0.91 of every $1 raised goes to support global research and patient service programs."