St. Augustine, FL. – On Saturday, November 4, 2023, the St. Augustine community will gather at Ripley’s Believe It or Not! for the 2023 Walk to Defeat ALS St. Augustine — to support and fund a cure for ALS. ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), often called Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a progressive motor neuron disease that gradually robs people of their ability to walk, talk, swallow and eventually breathe. With no known cause or cure, the St. Augustine community is coming together with determination to change this reality.
ALS patients, along with their families, friends, advocates, and supporters, will embark on a 1.5-mile journey in The Walk to Defeat ALS, holding onto hope that their steps will contribute to improving the lives of ALS patients living in St. Augustine. Many participants walk in honor of loved ones still battling this life-limiting disease, while others walk in memory of those who have lost their fight. Many individuals, without personal connections to ALS, walk to support efforts that aim to fund research, making ALS a livable disease for all until a cure is found.
With only two to five years of average life expectancy, these patients have an urgent need, and the community is stepping in to fill it by walking for those who can’t. The Walk to Defeat ALS is our signature event in which all funds directly support cutting-edge research and patient care. In 2022, Walk to Defeat ALS events in Florida raised over $902,000.
IF YOU GO
- What: Walk to Defeat ALS St. Augustine Presented By Ring Power, CAT St. Augustine
- When: Saturday, November 4, 2023
- 8:00 am – Registration
- 9:15 am – Walk Begins
- Where: Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Museum
- Why: To raise funds and awareness for ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, a progressive, fatal
neurodegenerative disease. There is no known cause or cure for ALS. All proceeds raised will support patient careand comfort, as well as research for treatments and a cure. - For more information: Walk to Defeat ALS St. Augustine
The ALS Association
The ALS Association is the largest philanthropic funder of ALS research in the world. The Association funds global research collaborations, assists people with ALS and their families through its nationwide network of care and certified clinical care centers, and advocates for better public policies for people with ALS. The ALS Association is working to make ALS a livable disease while urgently searching for new treatments and a cure. For more information about The ALS Association, visit our website at als.org
About ALS
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that afflicts more than 1,600 people in Florida. This terrible disease knows no racial, ethnic, or socioeconomic boundaries. It can strike anyone at any time. Every 90 minutes, someone is diagnosed with ALS, and every 90 minutes, someone dies from ALS. Death is usually due to respiratory failure because of diminished strength in the skeletal muscles responsible for breathing. Few treatment options exist for these patients, resulting in a high unmet need for new therapies to address functional deficits and disease progression.
