WASHINGTON — Every year, thousands of people lace up their sneakers to bring hope to people living with ALS.
This year, the annual DC Walk to Defeat ALS will still go on Oct.17 , just not on the National Mall like people are used to because of the pandemic.
According to ALS Association's DMV Chapter, people are told to walk one mile anywhere they would like to. An opening ceremony kicks off the virtual walk at 10a.m. through the chapter's Facebook page.
All of the teams can stay connected using the hashtag #AWeektoDefeatALS.
On Tuesday, Oct. 20. the chapter will put a spin on its annual fundraising dinner, which was postponed in May. This year, it is called "Dine to Defeat ALS at Home. " The virtual event will feature cooking demonstrations, stories from the community and its popular silent auction. It starts at 7p.m. and can be watched through the chapter's Facebook page and other platforms. All sponsorship and ticket purchases will receive a Dine to Defeat ALS gift package in the mail.
The money raised form these fundraising events support more than 700 local families in the battle against ALS. Bridget Phelps is the director of special events for the DMV Chapter and said it really makes a difference.
“Our primary goal is to provide care to those patients at no cost to them as much as possible," Phelps said. "The donations we receive enable us to not only provide that care this year but to make sure we can continue to provide that care in the future."
ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. It weakens muscles, and in some cases, makes it difficult to breathe.
According to the ALS Association, a little over 5,000 people in the U.S. are newly diagnosed with ALS each year.