Hi Ashley,
Here is a letter we used several years ago.
Dear Friends & Family,
May is ALS awareness month and we would like to take the opportunity to explain a little bit about ALS or “Lou Gehrig’s Disease”, and how you can help to fight against it. As you probably know, I was diagnosed with this disease several years ago.
ALS is a disease that can strike anybody at anytime. The cause is unknown and there is no cure or successful treatment. ALS is a rapidly progressive, fatal neuromuscular disease. It attacks the motor neurons responsible for transmitting electrical impulses from the brain to the voluntary muscles throughout the body. When these muscles fail to receive messages, they eventually lose strength, atrophy and die. People with ALS live an average of two to five years after they have been diagnosed. There are about 30,000 people living with this disease in the US, and 14 more are diagnosed every day.
Because it is a relatively rare disease compared to cancer, diabetes, etc.; it does not receive much federal funding for research, and drug companies are not willing to spend money on developing new medications. Almost all of the money for research and patient assistance comes from private donations from people like you.
We are fortunate to have a chapter of the ALS Association in the Bay Area.
The “ALSA” strives to improve the lives of families confronted by ALS, and to help find a cure. They have been very helpful to us, and I have seen them help many others.
On June 23rd we will be participating in a fundraising walk in Napa. This is an annual event that the ALSA relies upon for funding and we are asking for your support. Please consider donating to this organization. Any amount would be greatly appreciated. Your money will be used for research and to assist people who are going through a very difficult experience.
If you would like to help, please make checks payable to: ALS Association. Your contribution is completely tax-deductible. You can mail your check back to us and we will turn it in on the day of the walk. If you would like to walk with us, that would be great too! Let us know in advance so that we can send you the registration forms and additional details about the walk.
We completely understand if you are not able to contribute. If you would like more info about the ALSA, visit
www.alsabayarea.org on the web, or call (415) 392-ALSA(2572).
Thanks,
Mike and Jen Bougher