ALS Community Says Thanks

"ALS is one of those diseases that everyone has heard about, but few people know what a devastating disease it is for the one who has it and those who love them."

That's just one line from one of a stack of letters and emails I've had the pleasure of reading today. The people of the ALS community in Spokane took the time to say thank you for our stories highlighting the disease and the half-hour special we produced to show what's being done to help ALS patients here at home.

I don't do my job for the thank you notes or the pats on the back; I do stories like this to make a difference and highlight a need. Still, those thank yous are an incredible boost to morale on a Friday afternoon.

From Steve Gleason and Linda Sheridan to Dr. Scott Carlson and ALSSO president George Akers, every single person I have met in the course of researching and reporting on ALS has been incredibly gracious and open and wonderful. I wish I could have met all of them under different circumstances (it's no fun getting to know someone when talking about a devastating disease.) I absolutely learned something from every one of them and I want nothing more than to help each of them battle this ugly diagnosis.

If you want to see the ALS stories we've done, click here. If you want to donate to the various organizations, click here. If you missed our special last Sunday, you can watch it again next weekend. It airs Saturday March 31st at 4:30 pm.

Here are a few more of the comments. To those of you who took the time to write them, our thanks to you - a million times over.

"Having lost my husband to ALS nearly five years ago, I can tell you our group serves lots of ALS heroes."

"I was very weepy as I watched the special... It made me feel very good and yet sad at the same time. Good that all of our loved ones were honored in a way by your story, but sad for the sacrifice they all experienced in living, and dying, with ALS."

"We at ALSSO have lost family members or have members who have ALS and can be of help in the journey of those fighting the battle. You have greatly helped us by airing that program."

Source: http://downtownspokane.kxly.com/news/community-spirit/78401-als-community-says-thanks

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