1. Hall of Famer Dies From Disease
Lou Gehrig (the Iron Horse) was a famous Hall of Fame first baseman for the New York Yankees who brought international attention to the disease after abruptly retiring in 1939. Voted the greatest first baseman of all time by the Baseball Writer's Association, his record of consecutive games played (2130) stood for 56 years before Cal Ripken Jr. broke it in 1995. Following Gehrig's death in 1941, his wife (Eleanor) dedicated the rest of her life to finding a cure for this disease.
2. Lou Gehrig's Disease Equals ALS
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease affecting approximately 5,600 people per year. The disease strikes across all ethnic, social and economic boundaries with about half of the patients dying within three years. The term "Amyotrophic" has Greek origins translating to "A" (no), "Myo" (muscle) and "Trophic" (nourishment). In ALS, muscles literally waste away due to degeneration of nerve cells in the "lateral" portion of the spinal cord. When these nerves die, the brain's ability to control muscle movement is lost, leading to progressive paralysis and death.
3. Challenging Diagnosis
The majority of ALS patients (90 percent) have no family history of the disease and present as isolated cases. While, there is no definite method of diagnosing the disease, tests may rule out other diseases similar to ALS. Such testing should include a thorough neurological exam, electrodiagnostic testing, spinal tap, blood and urine studies, myelogram of the cervical spine, muscle/nerve biopsies and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
4. New Hope for a Cure
Through funding from the ALS Association, researchers have discovered a gene responsible for the disease. The gene (TDP-43) plays a direct role in the cause of several forms of ALS and according to Lucie Brujin PhD, will enable researchers "to develop new models for testing therapies."
5. Drug Therapy Offers Little Time
There is no cure for ALS. However, in late 1995 the first effective drug treatment (Rilutek) was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Rilutek has been shown to slow down the progression of ALS and prolong lives by several months. Many private health plans as well as the Medicare prescription drug benefit cover this. If you are in need of coverage but are unable to find a plan covering Rilutek, contact the ALS Association Advocacy Department at 1-877-444-ALSA.
