CHICAGO (WLS) — Thousands of runners are expected to take part in the Les Turner ALS Foundation’s ALS Walk for Life at Soldier Field in Chicago on Saturday, September 14 at 10:30 a.m.

The three-kilometer walk, the largest ALS gathering in the Midwest, is the Les Turner ALS Foundation’s largest fundraiser. More than 45 participating teams are raising funds to provide more personalized support to ALS patients and their families so they can confidently manage the disease and to advance scientific research to prevent, treat and cure ALS.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a disease that affects a person’s ability to walk, talk, swallow, and breathe. The effects of ALS become more severe over time and eventually lead to death. There is no cure for ALS yet, but progress continues to be made for those affected, as well as their families and caregivers.

“We are so grateful to all of our team captains at the ALS Walk for Life. Many teams join to support a person living with ALS. Others participate to honor a loved one who has died from the disease, and they have chosen to continue to support the Foundation’s quest to fund ALS research and clinical care to develop life-enhancing treatments and a cure,” said Laura Freveletti, CEO of the Les Turner ALS Foundation.

The Les Turner ALS Foundation was founded in 1977 when Les Turner, a husband and father of three young sons, was diagnosed with ALS at age 36. At that time, there were no therapies to slow the progression of the disease, nor were there resources available for compassionate clinical care or supportive services. In other words, the future looked bleak for anyone diagnosed with ALS at that time. Les Turner, his family and friends worked to change that by envisioning an organization dedicated to providing answers, support and hope to people living with ALS.

In 1979, the foundation established one of the first ALS research laboratories in the country, and in 1986, the Lois Insolia ALS Clinic was established as a multidisciplinary clinic, one of the first of its kind in Chicago and nationwide. Attending a multidisciplinary clinic has proven to be very important for ALS patients, impacting disease progression and quality of life through early respiratory and nutritional therapy.

“The Les Turner ALS Center is considered one of America’s leading multidisciplinary centers, providing world-class care and access to clinical trials for people with ALS. We are proud that our center has become a model for ALS treatment around the world, helping people with ALS improve their quality of life and live with dignity,” adds Freveletti.

For more information about the ALS Walk for Life, visit alswalkforlife.org and register there.

About the Les Turner ALS Foundation
Founded in 1977, the Les Turner ALS Foundation is the oldest independent ALS group in the country. Les Turner was diagnosed at age 36, at a time when there was virtually no information and research on ALS. Les and his wife Ina, his brother-in-law and best friend Harry Gaffen, and their family and friends set out to raise money to provide vital research and resources to people with ALS. Les died in 1978, but the extraordinary group of founders created what is now the longest-running independent ALS organization in the United States.

For more than 45 years, its mission has been to provide comprehensive care and support to ALS patients and their families in the Chicago area so they can confidently manage the disease and have access to the most promising treatments. The foundation treats each person as a family member, supporting them every step of the way and providing answers and encouragement to their loved ones.

The Les Turner ALS Center at Northwestern Medicine is led by respected and accomplished clinicians and researchers in the field who are advancing critical care and research to find life-enhancing treatments and cures.