Our Mission
The mission of The ALS Association is to lead the fight to cure and treat ALS through global, cutting-edge research, and to empower people with Lou Gehrig’s Disease and their families to live fuller lives by providing them with compassionate care and support.
To fulfill this mission, The ALS Association conducts programs in five main areas: Advocacy, Community Services, Education and Awareness, Patient Services and Research.
In order to promote the concerns and needs of ALS patients on a national level, The ALS Association's Advocacy program works to inform elected officials of the special needs of people with ALS. Most notably, our advocacy efforts led Congress to waive the 24-month waiting period for Medicare coverage of people diagnosed with ALS.
Our Community Services program guides The Association's nation-wide network of chapters in providing hands-on services to people affected by ALS in most U.S. states and the District of Columbia. With direction and administrative support from The ALS Association's National Office, our chapters run local support groups, manage loan programs for equipment such as wheelchairs, arrange respite care for caregivers and conduct many more activities in their area of service. The ALS Association chapters also raise awareness about ALS in their communities, and advocate for ALS patients to their elected officials.
Our Education and Awareness program seeks to raise consciousness about ALS in order to ensure that more people understand the disease and the special needs of ALS patients. Education and Awareness staff produce all of The Association's brochures, newsletters and press announcements, represent The ALS Association at national conferences, and actively seek out opportunities to feature ALS and The ALS Association in local and national media.
Our Patient Services staff develops and distributes literature, serves as a liaison between the scientific community and ALS patients, educates the medical community and works directly with patients, family members and caregivers to provide ALS-related information and referrals. Patient Services staff answer approximately 2,000 inquiries each month by phone and e-mail. The Patient Services program funds research targeted at improving clinical management and care of ALS patients.
The Association annually awards more than two dozen grants to scientists seeking the cause and cure for ALS. Our Research program is both proactive and reactive, encouraging innovative, novel ALS-specific research by seeking out potential investigators and accepting research proposals through a competitive process. Approximately 100 projects are in The ALS Association's diverse research portfolio at any given time.
If you would like to support the programs of The ALS Association, please click here.
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