The Gehrig Legacy

In the 1920s and 30s, baseball legend Lou Gehrig was an unstoppable powerhouse, filling stadiums and shattering records. It wasn't until 1938 that Gehrig's batting average dipped below .300 for the first time in over a decade. He lost his battle with ALS in 1941. In the early 1950s, his widow, Eleanor, heard that a new organization called the Muscular Dystrophy Association had been formed to combat neuromuscular diseases. "I saw that here was the answer to my personal need -- people whose thirst for action was as deep as my own. I immediately offered my services" she said years later. Since the 1950s when MDA first added ALS to its program and Eleanor served as the campaign chairperson, the Association has funded over $250 million in ALS research and services. Although "ALS" may not be in our name, it's certainly in our hearts and in our commitment to research and services for those with ALS. Over the coming days, I look forward to telling you more about our groundbreaking new initiative to develop drugs for ALS and other diseases. We made a commitment to Eleanor Gehrig that we intend to honor.

Visit http://www.augiesquest.org/ for more information.  

--Posted by Sharon Hesterlee