Well, well, well. Here I am approaching my 5 year anniversary of my official ALS diagnosis. Let's celebrate on May 14th, 2022 at the SUPERHERO DASH!! I'm so happy that this 5K/10K chip-timed Spring event is back in 2022! This fits team HOPE#4G much better due to the competitive nature of our team. I mean, I'm only a liiitttle competitive myself after all! Hmmm...
For those of you scratching your head thinking, didn't we just do this? You're right. Because in 2021 the SUPERHERO DASH did not happen due to Covid. Team HOPE#4G decided to participate in the September ALS walk. But the SUPERHERO DASH is where my heart is and we will be going back to that in 2022 and saying a small prayer that it actually happens! Yes, this is fishing opener in Minnesota, I guess I'll see who really loves me. Ha!
As always, I like to see how many team members we can possibly get. So please go to this link and then click 'Join Gayle's Team!" in the red box. Even if you don't know if you can make it or not yet, or even if you definitely can't make it, join the team! It costs $45 to register for the 5K and it's tax deductible. In addition, I always appreciate everyone's super Duper generous donations! You can also click the below link and click on donate.
http://webmn.alsa.org/goto/Hope4GSuperheroesGJ
If you sign up I will send you a link to your own personal fundraising page if you're willing. I don't know how many HOPE#4G team members have joined the League of Champions over the past five years, but it's quite a few! For the 2022 SUPERHERO DASH, team members that fundraise $350 or more, qualify for the League of Champions. You'll earn race-day bag check, complimentary snacks and a special merchandise item as well (TBD).
Below is the impact Team HOPE#4G has made over the past 4 years!!!
2018 Dash - $21,638 - 104 people
2019 Dash - $38,912.50 - 211 people
2020 Dash - $16,370 - 60 people
2021 Walk - $39,137 - 120 people
Raising money for the ALS Association is important to me because of all the support and equipment they have provided me during my personal journey. Some of the items include my mobility scooter, a transfer wheelchair, A shower chair, Alexa device, fire cube, Bedrails, kitchen gadgets, my iPad pointer which I affectionately call my pistol, and likely a lot of things I don't even remember. They couldn't be a more supportive an important resource for everyone battling ALS.
So help me in 2022 see what can we accomplish on my five year anniversary of my ALS diagnosis!
WHY I NEED YOUR HELP
Every 90 minutes a person in this country is diagnosed with ALS and every 90 minutes another person will lose their battle against this disease. To put that into perspective, think of your last seven hour Netflix binge, during that time approximately 10 people were either diagnosed with ALS or lost their battle. ALS occurs throughout the world with no regard for age, gender, race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic boundaries.
That's why I'm asking you to participate alongside me in the fall Walk to Defeat ALS. To bring hope. To raise awareness. To provide resources and services to families free of charge. To help unlock the mystery of ALS and find the key to treatments, better yet a cure
ABOUT ALS
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive, fatal neuromuscular disease that slowly robs the body of its ability to walk, speak, swallow and breathe. The life expectancy of a person with ALS averages 2 to 5 years from the time of diagnosis. Although the more I learn the more I realize every single ALS patient is on an individual journey with no real timeline. Look at me I'm still walking, or maybe shuffling would be a better word to describe it, 4+ years post diagnosis. I will be here years to come haranguing all of you into participating in this walk year after year! You're all so lucky!
Due to the rapid progression of ALS, the needs of someone living with the disease evolve rapidly over a short period of time. Often times insurance does not cover durable medical equipment, so The ALS Association utilizes a loan pool that allows people to access equipment at no charge. I can't even tell you how many items the ALS Association has provided me that make a huge difference in my quality of life! Caregivers often need a break, so The ALS Association pays for skilled home care workers to give those caregivers time. The ALS Association also provides augmentative communication devices that are critical when someone's ability to speak has been compromised.
All of these support tools help individuals and families impacted by ALS live the fullest life possible, which is why we're asking you to support our fundraising efforts or join our team.
Thank You!
Prefer to make a donation by check? Click here for a printable donation form!
