One example is the Walk to Defeat ALS, which the ALS Association is bringing back for its 15th year. This year’s event will take place at the Grand Park in The Market Commons on Saturday, March 25 beginning at 9:00 a.m.. Read on to find out more about the ALS Association and its mission, one of its biggest fundraisers of the year, and how you can help!
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, most commonly referred to as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s Disease, is a neurodegenerative disease that affects a person’s nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, causing muscle weakness, fatigue and an impaired voice, along with other symptoms. After diagnosis, the expected life span of an ALS patient is two to five years. This horrible disease affects about 20,000 Americans annually, and with all of those cases, there is no cure. While there is only one FDA-approved treatment readily available to help make the disease a little more bearable for ALS patients and their families, finding a cure is the ultimate goal — and that is this walk’s mission.
The ALS Association has been coordinating the Walk to Defeat ALS for over 15 years with a mission of leading the fight and finding a cure for ALS, all while empowering and providing support for ALS patients and their families. Besides finding a cure, people walk for many other reasons, such as funding research and raising awareness and support for better care services. The ALS Association holds these walks all over the world, from big cities to smaller towns.
The walk in Myrtle Beach, called the Grand Strand/Pee Dee Walk to Defeat ALS, has been one of the association’s largest walks, bringing in families, smaller charities and even celebrities from all over the nation to help raise money for this incredible cause that can help save so many lives around the world. In 2014, the Myrtle Beach event saw its largest attendance, largely due to the popularity of the viral “ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.” This year, the ALS Association is hoping to set a new record, and you could help. Whether you are directly affected by the disease or would like to support the cause out of kindness, go check out the ALS Association website to register, then lace up your sneakers and take part in this wonderful walk for a very good cause!
While on vacation at Ocean Reef Resort, why not spend a beautiful early spring morning walking for a great cause? Not only will you have a great time with your family and make great memories, but you will have a warm feeling in your heart knowing that you helped support the fight against ALS, bringing a cure one step further.
