My brother Mike was diagnosed with ALS at the age of 47. He lived in Nelson, NZ with his young family, including a 4 and 7 year old. NZ has great safety net healthcare, but did not have any real specialized care for patients with ALS. He was really left alone to deal with this awful disease. My sister and I traveled back and forth to NZ to help my brother and his family get through this. He passed away in May of 2013, 2 years after diagnosis. I have seen what the ALS Network can do, and offers here in the US, and I had only wished my brother had access to the care, equipment, support and expertise that is available here through the work of the ALS Network. As a result, patients and families are not alone, they have support and hope for a better future.
Creating Hope
