I Walk to Defeat ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease)

This last weekend I participated in a 2 mile walk to Defeat ALS in memory of my father Larry Norlund who struggled with the disease for 16 long years before ending his life with a medical suicide on Nov.  4th 2009.

I started a team in his honor called the Mudshark Marchers because his nick name is the Mudshark.  My mom and sister along with two of my good friends accompanied me in the walk along with my dog Bravo.   In total my team raised $310 with me personally raising $210 of it.  It was amazing to see how many people attend these walks in support of people struggling with the disease.

<--My Dad. 

A little about the disease:

Lou Gehrig's disease, also called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), causes the nerve cells in certain regions of your brain and spinal cord to gradually die. Eventually, people who have Lou Gehrig's disease (ALS) lose the ability to move their limbs and the muscles needed to move, eat, speak and breathe.

Doctors don't know what causes Lou Gehrig's disease, and the disease can't be cured. Although doctors can't reverse the progression of Lou Gehrig's disease, advances in treatment mean that many who have the disease live longer than they did in the past. Each year about 5,000 Americans are newly diagnosed with ALS, and about 20,000 Americans have the disease.

I plan to continue doing more walks and other things to aid in the search for a cure for ALS or better treatment to aid in a slower progression of the disease.