CTE Gives Back! August 2021

ALS ASSOCIATION

As so many of us continue to enjoy the many summer activities involving muscle movement such as biking, running, walking, and a myriad of summer sports, there are thousands of people unable to enjoy those pleasures due to their suffering from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, more commonly known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease. 

ALS is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by a loss of connection between the brain and the muscles.  People suffering from ALS lose their ability to walk, talk, eat, and eventually breathe with the average life expectancy of those afflicted being 2-5 years.  Typically, the disease strikes individuals between the ages of 40 and 70, affecting men more frequently than women, but it can afflict anyone at any time. 

While 10% of those suffering from ALS have inherited the disease through a mutated gene, a whopping 90% of cases occur with no family history.  A higher incidence of ALS is also found among military veterans, impacting those who have served in times of both war and peace.

There is no cure for this brutal disease and a $2 billion price tag is the estimated cost for the development of a drug to slow or stop the progression of the disease.  Scientists do continue to make progress to better understand this disease and it is the ALS Association that has earned the distinction of being the largest private funder of ALS Research worldwide. Their funding of both individual projects to global collaborations has been critical to advancing the search for treatments and a cure for ALS.  The ALS Association has also been awarded the highest 4 star level with Charity Navigator.

We at Cable Tie Express are eager to assist in these efforts through its CTE GIVES BACK! program by awarding the ALS Association our charitable contribution this month.  It is our hope that this will make a small but still significant impact in advancing the Association’s mission:  to discover treatments and a cure for ALS, and to serve, advocate for, and empower people affected by ALS to live their lives to the fullest. 

For more information about ALS or the ALS Association, please click on www.als.org.