Dear Friends and Family,

The Roanoke Walk to Cure ALS is only one week away!!  We continue to participate in the ALS walk in memory of Lisa’s brother, Dean, who passed away from ALS on January 13, 2011. 

Dean fought for over three years with more grace, strength, courage and determination than anyone thought humanly possible.  I now repeat these words every year in my letter, as to me, they never get old.  At Dean’s funeral, his pastor, Mark Graham, said “Dean’s illness never defined him. I never looked at Dean and thought, ‘There is a weak, dying man.’ No, I saw always his radiant smile, his cheerful, thankful eyes, his loving outreach to others and his determination to carry on in dire circumstances.  Those were the characteristics that defined Dean, not the illness. His smile, his God-given peace, that’s what defined Robert Dean Kemp.” 

Living with ALS and caring for someone with the disease are a constant and daily struggle.  There is no treatment and the disease eventually robs you of the ability to walk and talk, eat and breathe on your own, hug your wife and kiss your kids.  Yet through it all, the ALS patient's mind is FINE. 

On Saturday, September 13th, our family will participate in the “Walk to Defeat ALS” with “Dean’s ALS Destroyers”.   The walk raises funds, creates awareness and gives us all a sense of hope, plus the money raised at the walk goes to help families afflicted with this dreadful disease.  The ALS organization was an invaluable resource for Dean, Cheryl and the boys as they battled the disease and its complications each day. 

Please consider making a donation – it’s SO easy – just click http://web.alsa.org/goto/thecarters2024 (if that doesn't work, go to www.alsa.org, click on the walk link, then donate and search for Lisa Carter).  If you prefer to send a check, please mail your tax-deductible donation, made payable to The ALS Association, to us at 760 Roslyn Rd., Winston-Salem, NC 27104.

Thank you SO much for your love and support!

Lisa, Greg, Grace and Jackson