ALS

The cause of ALS is not known, and scientists do not yet know why ALS strikes some people and not others. However, scientific evidence suggests that both genetics and environment play a role in motor neuron degeneration and the development of ALS.

It affects as many as 30,000 in the United States, with 5,000 new cases diagnosed each year.

ALS is fatal. The average life expectancy after diagnosis is two to five years, but some patients may live for years or even decades. (The famous physicist Stephen Hawking, for example, lived for more than 50 years after he was diagnosed.) There is no known cure to stop or reverse ALS.

a progressive neuromuscular disease

Difficulty walking or doing normal daily activities.

Tripping and falling.

Weakness in your legs, feet or ankles.