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Lou Gehrig’s Disease

12 Days of Charitable Giving: ALS Hope Foundation

December 19, 2008 · 5 comments

It’s the fifth day of my 12 Days of Charitable Giving. To recap, I’ve asked a panel of judges to review a number of deserving charities as suggested by my readers. I’ll be posting one a day for – well, 12 days (I’m clever that way).

I encourage you to check out the charities voted “most deserving” by my readers and judges. Remember that these are just suggestions and, in most cases, we can’t personally vouch for the good work that these folks do. So be smart. And be generous.

Today’s featured charity was submitted by Erica Intzekostas. Erica writes:

I have been supporting the ALS Hope Foundation of Philadelphia, PA for many years. The ALS Hope Foundation is a local 501(c)(3) organization that funds research and helps people suffering from ALS. ALS (also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease) is a degenerative neurological disease that causes damage to the nerve cells eventually leading to total paralysis and inability to breathe. ALS claimed my father’s life in 1994, just two years after he was diagnosed. There is currently no cure and little in the way of treatment. The cause is unknown. The average life span is between 3 and 5 years following diagnosis. Most treatment involves making the lives of those suffering with the disease more manageable and comfortable.

The money that the ALS Hope Foundation raises goes directly to funding a local center where medical and emotional support is provided (headed by Dr. Terry Heiman-Patterson) and research is conducted (headed by Dr. Jeffrey Deitch). Money raised has also gone to establishing and supporting a research institute in Philadelphia to find cures for ALS and other neurodegenerative disorders and diseases. The unwavering dedication of Dr. Heiman-Patterson and Dr. Deitch is inspiring. Unfortunately for my father, there was no place like the ALS Hope Foundation.

I support the ALS Hope Foundation because of the help it provides to those currently suffering with the disease and the work that it does towards finding a cure. You can learn more about the ALS Hope Foundation at http://www.alshopefoundation.org.

A search at irs.gov (which I highly recommend any time you are considering making a donation) reveals that ALS Hope Foundation of Philadelphia is on the IRS list of charitable organizations.

You can read about our prior 12 Days’ picks here:

12 Days of Charitable Giving: Forget Me Not

12 Days of Charitable Giving: DonorsChoose.org

12 Days of Charitable Giving: Spirit Animal Sanctuary

12 Days of Charitable Giving: Jamison Center

Thanks to our guest judge, Chris Erb, for choosing ALS Foundation. Chris is an attorney focusing on corporate, tech and international matters at The Erb Law Firm, PC in Philadelphia, PA. Rumor has it, he also has a delightful wife.

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