Beer's Impact on the Pace of ALS Research

[Via als.net] by Colette O'Neill

Grandfather.

Father.

Uncle.

Aunt.

Aunt.

Aunt.

Uncle.

Cousin.

Brother.

These are members of Cheryl Hanses’ family who she knows passed of ALS or are currently battling the disease. Look at it this way: Cheryl has twenty-five cousins in her generation; all but 3 of them have lost a parent to ALS.

Cheryl’s grandfather passed in 1957. When her father was diagnosed in 1987, she learned that her family was part of the 10% of all ALS cases that had a familial form (TDP43) of the disease. Since then, one by one, Cheryl’s uncles and aunts learned that their fate had been decided for them, too. And ALS took them all too soon.

All the Hanses family knows is a life with ALS. ALS is their norm. ALS is a part of their collective legacy. “We’re not victims,” says Cheryl. “We are strong. And we are very close. We have gathered together so often for ALS funerals; these events have helped the family bond grow stronger.” [Read More]

Posted May 14, 2018