ALS United Greater NY Westchester Walk Draws Hundreds Of Supporters

PURCHASE, NY — Another successful Walk ALS Westchester is in the books — now, the real work starts.

Around 500 participants gathered on Saturday at Manhattanville University to raise money for ALS United Greater New York, which provides local, on-the-ground services to patients and families living with ALS throughout the greater New York area.

ALS United Greater New York’s Walk ALS Westchester provides those in the ALS community and throughout New York with the opportunity to show their support in the fight against amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

The progressive neurodegenerative disorder attacks nerve cells in the brain, depriving individuals of basic functions like walking, talking, and even blinking. Despite its devastating impact, the root cause of ALS remains a mystery, with military veterans being twice as likely as the general population to develop the disease.

Proceeds from Saturday's walk will help fund medical research, patient care services and advocacy efforts.

Over the last decade, since the viral Ice Bucket Challenge took over, ALS United Greater New York says it has been able to notably grow their care service programs, including an increase of financial grants to families, partnerships with six more local ALS Clinics (now a total of 10), and a huge increase in the number of medical equipment and communication devices that they are able to lend free of charge to patients each year.

ALS United Greater New York provides local, on-the-ground services to patients and families living with ALS throughout the greater New York area, including New York City, Long Island, Westchester County, the Hudson Valley, and northern and central New Jersey.

Find more information about ALS United Greater New York on their website.

ALS Stats Provided By ALS United Greater New York:

• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurological disease that results in the death of nerve cells called motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord. These neurons control voluntary muscles.
• Annual prevalence of 9 per 100,000 people (as of 2018).
• Approximately 30,000 persons living with ALS.
• Sporadic ALS accounts for 90 percent of cases and occurs without any known family history or associated genetic or environmental risk factors.
• Lifetime risk of developing ALS is approximately 1 in 350 for men, and 1 in 440 for women, which is comparable to the risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS); with advancing age, the gender difference disappears.
• Average life expectancy of a person with ALS is about two to five years from the time of diagnosis, some people can live with the disease for more than five years.
• The disease is most common among people 60 years or older, but nearly 10 percent of ALS patients are 45 or younger.
• Given New York’s population of ~20 million people, we have ~2000 people living with ALS, with approximately 400 new cases diagnosed annually.