Friends and family,

I'm joining the movement to cure ALS by participating in the Austin Walk to Defeat ALS on October 31, 2020. I'm so grateful for the outpouring of love and support my family and I have received from so many of you over the last few years, and I look forward to continuing the fight against ALS this year, with your help. 

It's been three years since I learned that my mom, Barbara Amy, has Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Like so many others, I knew almost nothing about ALS when she was diagnosed, aside from a surface level awareness fueled by social media videos of people dumping buckets of ice water over their heads. Soon after her diagnosis, I began a desperate search for information about this disease, which has, without warning, changed our lives forever.

ALS is a fatal neurological disorder characterized by the progressive degeneration of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. As motor neurons are destroyed, a person loses his or her ability to walk, speak, swallow and breathe. The life expectancy of an ALS patient averages two to five years. Currently, the cause of ALS is unknown, and there is no cure.

ALS impacts everyone differently and is incredibly difficult to diagnose. For my mom, it began with weakness in her left foot. I remember kidding her for being "clumsy" and "tipsy" because, at the time, that seemed a much more likely explanation for her stumbling and slurred speech, than terminal illness. Then, when her symptoms became harder to ignore, she went to see her doctor - and months later, after many more doctors visits, various medical tests, and a misdiagnosis of Inclusion Body Myositis (IBM), we got the devastating news. 

Words can't adequately express how difficult it is to watch my mom - the strongest, smartest, most selfless woman I know - battle this awful disease. ALS is cruel and ugly, and yet, amidst all the pain and heartbreak, I continue to be grateful. I am grateful for every moment spent with my mom and for the love and support my family and I have received from so many of you. Tough times have a way of revealing strength and exposing raw, tender kindness in the most unexpected places. These last three years have been no exception. 

Please join team "Legs Miserables" and make a difference in the lives of those affected by ALS. The ALS Association builds hope and enhances quality of life, while aggressively searching for new treatments and a cure. Any donation makes an impact and is greatly appreciated! If you can't make a donation, please still join us for the walk or keep my mom in your thoughts and prayers. 

Thanks,
Jenn