COLUMBUS – The ALS Association, the country’s largest nonprofit organization devoted to curing and caring for people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), thanks the Ohio General Assembly and Rep. Jamie Callender for including $1 million to support ALS patients and caregivers in the state.

“State lawmakers can play a critical role in making ALS livable for everyone, everywhere, by investing in research for treatments and cures, and for making sure people living with ALS in their states have access to high-quality care," Calaneet Balas, president and CEO of the ALS Association, said. "This funding not only enhances the quality of life for people living with ALS in Ohio, it’s also a smart investment that will save the state money in the long term. We are especially grateful to Rep. Jamie Callender for his leadership and thank the entire General Assembly for their support.”

ALS is a neurodegenerative disease that results in the death of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, causing the muscles in the body to gradually weaken. This leads to the loss of limb function, difficulty breathing, paralysis and eventually death. There is currently no known cause or cure for the disease.

Funds will help people living with ALS and their families throughout Ohio by expanding access to in-home and respite care, helping with the purchase of durable medical equipment and home modifications, as well as enhancing professional services. The ALS Association’s respite and home modification grants allow people living with ALS and their families to help offset costs associated with widening doorways, installing wheelchair ramps, or creating accessible bathroom facilities.

“We are so pleased that Ohio legislators see the benefit in investing in programs that provide local care to people with this devastating illness – services and support that cannot be found anywhere else in the area,” Marlin Seymour, executive director of the ALS Association Central & Southern Ohio Chapter, said. 

“An ALS diagnosis is not only physically difficult, it is also financially difficult," Paul Jeter, territory executive for the ALS Association, said. "This commitment clearly shows that our lawmakers recognize the need to help make ALS a livable disease until we can ultimately find a cure."