Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis is a rare disorder that affects the function of nerves and muscles that are responsible for voluntary muscle movement. ALS is a degenerative disease that causes the death of the nerve cells that control our muscles. It leads to progressive weakness that will spread from limb to limb to ultimately involve the entire body.

Most cases of ALS are sporadic ALS, meaning the disease seems to occur randomly with no risk factors and no family history of ALS.

Right now there is no cure but there are treatments that can help control symptoms. There are medications, physical therapy, speech therapy, nutritional, and breathing support which may make living with this disease easier and more manageable.

Most people develop ALS between 40-70, the older a person is, the higher your risk of developing ALS. However, it can occur as early as your 20s. ALS is 20% more common in men than women.

The average life expectancy after diagnosis is about 2 to 5 years, but many people live longer than 5 years.