Boston Walk to Defeat ALS

The Boston Walk to Defeat ALS will be held on
Saturday, October 26th at DCR Carson Beach, Mother’s Rest Area, 125 William J. Day Blvd., in South
Boston.  The 2-mile walk begins with a
9am check-in and an 11am Walk start.  The
goal is to raise over $400,000 to sustain care services and support research to
find a cure for ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.

People
can walk individually, put together a team, or join a team.  They can also donate and/or volunteer.  To date over 100 teams have been organized
with thousand anticipated.  Every
individual walker who raises over $75 is eligible for a commemorative t-shirt. 

Tom
O’Connor, President of Baystate Wealth Management in Boston serves as Corporate
Recruitment Chair.  The company is also a
Hero Sponsor for the Walk to Defeat ALS, and they have a team in the event.

Tony Viveiros, noted Boston
comedian and actor, better known as “Tony V “, will emcee the Boston Walk.  Stacy
Smith of Pick a Party Place in Holbrook, MA will be providing family activities
for children and more, with a special interactive game.  Danny Gill and the Olde Brigade will also be
performing their Irish music. Participants will be provided free light
refreshments and water.

The Boston Walk to Defeat ALS is the final of 3
Massachusetts Walks – the others are the Wakefield Walk, held October 19th,
and the Worcester Walk, held in May. 
These are signature events for the Massachusetts chapter of the ALS
Association.  Together with Walks
happening throughout the country, the Walk to Defeat ALS is a national
signature event and each year, over 150,000 individuals, many from local
companies and organizations, join together to raise funds in support of the ALS
cause.  Now in its 11th year,
approximately 172 Walks will be held throughout the US in a nationwide effort
to raise $22 million. 

ALS often referred to
as “Lou Gehrig’s Disease” is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that
affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord.  ALS weakens every voluntary muscle in the
body including those associated with walking, talking, moving, swallowing, and
breathing.  As an ALS patient becomes
weaker his/her mind and senses usually remain intact the entire time.  There is no cure for ALS.  The average life expectancy is five years or
less.

The ALS Association is the only nonprofit organization
fighting Lou Gehrig’s Disease on every front. 
Through global research, assistance for people with ALS through a
nationwide network of chapters, coordinating multidisciplinary care through
certified clinical care centers, and fostering government partnerships, the
Association builds hope and enhances quality of life while aggressively
searching for new treatments.

For more information about the Boston Walk to Defeat ALS, go
to www.walktodefeatALS, and select
“Massachusetts”, then “Boston Walk” or contact Susan Adler at susan.adler@ALS-MA.org; 781-255-8884.

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