Two years ago I met John Arthur and for the first time I heard about ALS. Since then I have been John's "torturer" (helping him exercise) and friend (I hope he likes my Bulgarian sense of humor:) It is terrible to watch how ALS slowly progress. John was using a cane when we started our sessions. In a few months the cane was replaced by a walker, followed by a manual wheelchair. In December, 2012, the manual wheelchair was replaced by a power wheelchair. Today John is spending most of his time in a special hospital bed watching TV and having friends over.
Last year (2012) Jim Obergefell - John's partner, started the fundraising team Half-Full which I joined. Thanks to all your contribution and Jim's creative fundraising ideas our team ended raising over $20,000!!!! Leaving behind all other teams!
John continues to show an incredible amount of grace in the face of this crippling disease, and it's in his honor that Team Half-Full is raising money and participating in the Walk to Defeat ALS on September 22, 2013.
We need your help! Please consider making a donation or joining Team Half-Full in John's honor.
For every $50 donation, the donor receives one raffle ticket ($50=1, $100=2, etc) to win a week in this ocean-front, 6 master bedroom beach house in the Outer Banks of NC! The winner can book any available week from September 29, 2013 (Sunday check-in) through (Sunday check-out) May 25, 2014.
Every dollar helps in the fight against ALS by providing research funding and services to patients and their families. ALS costs families an astounding average of $200,000/year in care and services. That power wheelchair John needs? That one piece of equipment cost $31,000. Your donation may very well help an ALS patient without insurance get a desperately-needed chair, other piece of equipment, or in-home care. Or maybe your donation will fund the break-through necessary to cure ALS.
Often referred to as Lou Gehrig's Disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive, fatal neuromuscular disease with no known cause that slowly robs the body of its ability to walk, speak, swallow and breathe. The life expectancy of an ALS patient averages 2 to 5 years from the time of diagnosis.
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. ALS occurs throughout the world with no racial, ethnic, or socioeconomic boundaries.
I need your support, so please do anything you can; join "Half Full" team, register as an individual or make a donation to support our efforts.
Thank you so much and I look forward to seeing you at the Walk!
