MDA is a world leader in ALS Research and Services

MDA was founded in 1950 and is one of the world’s leading nonprofit health organizations, funding research, health care and support services covering more than 40 neuromuscular diseases affecting more than 1 million Americans.  

 

 

MDA's Fight Against ALS 

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a multisystem neurodegenerative disorder that primarily affects motor neurons, the nerve cells that control voluntery movement.  The loss of motor neurons causes the muscles they control to become weak and then paralyzed.  ALS is a serious disease, and MDA is serious in the fight against it.   That's why MDA leads an unparalled program of support, research, advocacy and education. 

 

MDA's involvement with ALS began in the early 1950'2 when Eleanor Gehrig, widow of beloved Yankee's first baseman Lou Gehrig, was searching for a way to fight the disease that had taken her husband's life.  Mrs. Gehrig served more than a decade as MDA National Campaign Chariman.  Since it's inception, MDA has dedicated more than $324 million to ALS research, services, and information programs.     

 

 

Clinical Care

MDA maintains 200 medical clinics nationwide, providing specialized medical services for people affected by any of the more than 40 diseases under MDA's unbrella, including ALS.  Also, more than 40 MDA clinics are designated as MDA/ALS centers. 

 

MDA clinics and MDA/ALS centers are staffed by mulitdisciplinary teams of health professionals skilled in the diagnosis and medical management of ALS, including symptoms control, medical interventions and therapies to help maintain the highest possible quality of life.  

 

MDA clinic teams may include neurolgists, therapists (physical, occupational, speech, and respitory), nutritionists, social workers, pulmonologists, gastroenterologists, and medical equipment specialists.