THE ALS ASSOCIATION FLORIDA CHAPTER 3242 Parkside Center Circle Tampa, FL 33619-0907 Julie Niehoff
SARASOTA WALK TO DEFEAT ALS TAKES PLACE APRIL 11, 2015
Walk to Defeat ALS at Phillippi Estates Park in Sarasota
SARASOTA, Fla. – On Saturday, April 11, 2015, more than 1,000 people will gather at Phillippi Estates Park in Sarasota to join the fight to find a cure for a deadly illness. ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, progressively paralyzes its victims, attacking nerve cells and pathways in the brain or spinal cord. ALS has no known cause or cure, but the Sarasota community is rallying together to change that.
One of those participating is Tee Tee Perez who lost her father, Carlos Perez Sr., to ALS in 2012. Amazingly, once someone has had a personal connection with ALS, many people devote their lives to helping others. Tee Tee has formed a statewide walk team, Team Carlos Perez Sr., and participates in each walk around the state, helping to spread awareness about this devastating disease. But she doesn’t stop there: Tee Tee has also participated in The Walk To Defeat ALS in St. Louis, MO; Chicago, IL; and Fort Wayne, Indiana and plans to continue her quest to spread the word throughout the country!
Wheelchair-bound patients along with their families and friends will make a 2-mile trek in The Walk to Defeat ALS, hoping their steps will make a difference for ALS patients living in Florida. Many who walk have a loved one who is still fighting the deadly disease. Others walk in memory of a loved one who has lost the battle. Many people, without any personal connection, still walk out of a simple concern for those who are suffering with Lou Gehrig’s disease.
With only two to five years to live, these patients have an urgent need, and the community is stepping in to fill it by walking for those who can’t. The Walk to Defeat ALS is The ALS Association’s signature event in which all funds directly support cutting-edge research, programs and patient care. Last year, these events raised almost $1.5 million around the state of Florida.
All interested walkers should call 888-257-1717, or register online at www.WalktoDefeatALS.org.
The Quick Facts
What: Sarasota Walk to Defeat ALS
When: Saturday, April, 2015
9:00 am – Registration 10:00 am – Walk Begins
Where: Phillippi Estates Park
5500 S Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL
Why: To raise funds and awareness for ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, a progressive, fatal
neurodegenerative disease. There is no known cause or cure for ALS. All proceeds raised will support patient care and comfort, as well as research for treatments and a cure.
For more information: Go to: www.WalktoDefeatALS.org, or call 888-257-1717.
About The ALS Association Florida Chapter
The ALS Association Florida Chapter offers care to ALS patients living in Florida and funds research to find the cause and cure for ALS. We are part of a nationwide network of local ALS Association chapters with the same vision – a world without ALS. Through care, advocacy, research, education and support, we work to empower those with ALS to live fuller lives. Every year, The ALS Association invests millions of dollars in research conducted by the best and brightest scientists in the world. As the only national not-for-profit health organization dedicated solely to the fight against ALS, we give help and hope to those facing a devastating disease.
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The ALS Association Florida Chapter is dedicated to finding a cure for ALS while empowering the lives of those living with the disease through care, advocacy, research, education and support. For more information about the ALS Association Florida Chapter, go to www.ALSAFL.org
