My name is Micah Rand.  I am almost 13 years old, and this is my Mitzvah Project. I have a goal to support the never-ending battle against ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, by raising money to fund research for the cure, but I need your help. I will be challenging myself, as well as everybody reading this, to raise support for ALS research and funding. 

 

I will be challenging myself to do as many push-ups as I can in one sitting.  I’m doing this physical challenge to show strength for all of the patients devastated by ALS who can no longer move their bodies.  By pushing myself to my max, I want to raise awareness of the devastating symptoms of ALS, such as impaired speech, hand weakness and weak feet, which can possibly lead to an earlier diagnosis.  I humbly ask for your support and sponsorship.  No amount is too small.  If enough people contribute, we can hopefully raise upwards of $10,000, which can help pay for ALS research, treatments, and care and support for families dealing with this terrible disease.

 

ALS stands for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, and it is a neurodegenerative disease where a person's nerve cells break down. This causes the muscle to lose its connection to the brain, meaning over time patients become completely unable to move their bodies. Patients lose the ability to walk, talk, eat and eventually are unable to breathe.  Tragically, ALS is a fatal disease for which there is no cure.  According to the ALS Association, over 5,000 patients are diagnosed each year, and every 90 minutes someone is either diagnosed with, or dies from ALS.  You may even be familiar with some people who suffered from, or have, ALS – in addition to Lou Gehrig, after whom the disease is often named, there are people from all walks of life, like Dan Doctoroff (a well-known New Yorker and the former CEO of Bloomberg), Stephen Hawking (astrophysicist), Roberta Flack (a famous singer) and many well-known athletes, such as Steve Gleason and Dwight Clark (football players).

 

Just over 10% of ALS cases are genetically linked. This means that having a genetic relative who has, or has had, ALS gives you an increased chance to develop this disease. Because of this genetic link, ALS can devastate generations of families, and this disease can possibly be passed down to the children of that family. My family has a tragic history with ALS, as my great grandfather, grandmother and great aunt on my father’s side have all passed away from ALS.  In fact, I'm named in memory of my grandmother, Madelon, who passed away from ALS only two weeks after I was born.  I want to help make the world safer for all families who suffer from ALS, especially those with genetic links, which is why I want to raise awareness and money for a cure. 

 

No amount is too big or small.  Just know that I will let you know how many pushups I accomplished in one sitting.  I have been training for this cause every day, and in doing so, I think of Lou Gehrig who said “I’m the luckiest man on the face of the earth.”  

 

Thank you so much in advance for your support and know that, even after I complete this challenge, I will never stop fighting for a cure for this awful disease.

 

Micah