The ALS Association Massachusetts Chapter

ALS, more commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, is a devastating neuromuscular disease that usually strikes at random. Initial symptoms include clumsiness, tripping, trouble gripping, and in some cases slurred speech. Within an average of two to five years from initial onset of symptoms, victims weaken into a state of complete paralysis. As they lose the ability to walk, move, talk, swallow, and breathe on their own, their mind and senses usually remain unaffected and intact. They become “trapped” in their bodies. There is no known cause, cure, or effective treatment to this day.

The ALS Association Massachusetts Chapter, founded on January 27, 1990, is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization based in Norwood, Massachusetts. Our mission is to lead the fight to cure and treat ALS through global, cutting-edge research, and to empower people with Lou Gehrig's Disease and their families to live fuller lives by providing them with compassionate care and support. In short, we are committed to providing the best care possible to ALS patients and their families, while tirelessly supporting the quest to find a cure for ALS. We offer more than a dozen free services for patients and their families, including a respite care program, an equipment loan program, a children's program and support groups. Additionally, we contribute significantly to research efforts both nationally and internationally. The ALS Association Massachusetts Chapter: Providing care today. Supporting hope for tomorrow. For more information on the Chapter, please call 1-888-CURE-ALS (1-888-287-3256) or visit www.als-ma.org.

1. Providing care today. Supporting hope for tomorrow.

2. Find the cause, cure, or effective treatment for ALS

3. Empower people with Lou Gehrig's disease and their families to live fuller lives