As a journalist, some stories stay with you--and this is one of them. More than a year ago, I profiled Brooke Eby, a woman in her 30s with ALS, for the NYT. Brooke has been sharing her experience with ALS on social media for several years, becoming an advocate for the thousands of people living with the disease, while also creating a platform for people to share information and resources. Through reporting, I learned some sobering facts about ALS, including that people are typically given 2-5 years to live upon diagnosis, that there is no known cure, and that the limited treatments available do little to meaningfully extend a person's life. Anyone facing such a devastating diagnosis deserves, at minimum, hope for getting better.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), often referred to as "Lou Gehrig's Disease," is a progressive disease of the nervous system that affects cells in the brain and spinal cord. 

• Every ninety minutes, someone is diagnosed with the disease, and someone passes away from it.
• 90% of ALS cases occur without any known family history or genetic cause. The remaining 10% of ALS cases are inherited through a mutated gene with a known connection to the disease.
• 55 is the average age of onset with most people who develop ALS between the ages of 40 and 70. However, cases of the disease do occur in people in their twenties and thirties.
• Military veterans are twice as likely to be diagnosed with the disease than the general public for yet unknown reasons.

I am running the 2026 NYC Marathon with Team ALS to support those affected by ALS, spread awareness, and to fight for a cure. By partnering with ALS United Greater New York, all the funds I raise will go toward vital research, community support, and patient services. Please donate to help me in creating hope. Together, we can end ALS!