Who This Benefits    Choose your location    + Boise, Idaho - 11/2/08 + St. Louis, Missouri - 5/03/08 The Run For Your Life is designed to raise funds and awareness in the fight against Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, often called Lou Gehrig's disease after the baseball legend who succumbed to the disease. ALS is a disorder of the central nervous system in which the motor neurons, those connecting the brain and spinal cord to the muscles, burn out. This leaves the victim progressively paralyzed, even though the mind is unaffected. ALS is universally fatal, in most cases within three to five years from diagnosis. There is currently no effective treatment for ALS. The beneficiary of the Run For Your Life is: Extra Hands for ALS exists to instill the importance of community service and develop leadership qualities in young adults by uniting them with people who have ALS and their families. Through Extra Hands for ALS, high school and college students volunteer to help people with ALS and their families by doing chores and errands or just providing company for the homebound. Students also organize and participate in ALS public awareness events designed to teach their peers and communities about the disease. As a result, Extra Hands is a charitable "two-for-the-price-of-one." The students grow, mature, and develop leadership skills through their experiences, while the ALS families get help they desperately need. If you would like to make a donation that goes directly to fund ALS-related research, that's possible through the Jack Orchard ALS Foundation: The Jack Orchard ALS Foundation exists to support scientific research into therapies for those suffering from ALS, to help ALS sufferers remain hopeful through patient service, and to spearhead a national education campaign to inspire grassroots participation in the fight against ALS. Established in 2001 by Jack Orchard after his diagnosis with ALS at age 34, the Jack Orchard ALS Foundation has granted out hundreds of thousands of dollars to support cutting-edge scientific research at universities throughout the country. The Jack Orchard ALS Foundation will receive only those contributions specifically earmarked by donors as being for scientific research purposes. To make a research-related gift, click here and be sure to check the box indicating the gift is for research.

For more info email us at RFYL@extrahands.org                                  Want to hold a Run For Your Life in your area? Copyright © 2003-6 Extra Hands For ALS                                                                   We have all the tools you'll need! Click here for our Privacy Policy                                                                                Email us at events@extrahands.org