North Carolina’s Jim “Catfish” Hunter Chapter of the ALS Association Provides Support for ALS Communication Needs at Carolinas Medical Center

From left to right: Dr. Benjamin Brooks, Suzanne Gilroy, Amy Wright (Lab Director), Jerry Dawson, Velma Langford, Sue Gorman (local Chapter Board Member and National Trustee)

Charlotte. NC (November 19, 2014)-The Jim “Catfish” Hunter Chapter of the ALS Association presented a donation of $15,000 to the Edwin D. Holt Communication Laboratory at Carolinas Neuromuscular/ALS Center.

“Communication is everything and we are happy to be in a position to fund this important need,” said Jerry Dawson, President  of the Jim “Catfish” Hunter Chapter of the ALS Association.

These monies will allow the Communication Laboratory to provide high-demand equipment to people living with ALS (pALS) that is not covered by insurance. Some examples include: optical head pointers (head mouse), eye-tracking systems (for use with PCs), custom iPad or tablet wheelchair mounts, adapted iPad/tablet or phone accessories, alerting systems and patient equipment repairs.

“Providing a means to communicate with family and friends is one of the most important ways to improve the quality of life for our pALS,” said Dr. Benjamin Brooks, Director of the Carolinas Neuromuscular/ALS-MDA Center.

ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Eventually, people with ALS lose the ability to initiate and control muscle movement, which may lead to total paralysis and death within two to five years of diagnosis. There is currently no cure for the disease, but there are hundreds of research projects active both in the United States and abroad. 

The ALS Association is the only national non-profit organization fighting Lou Gehrig’s disease on every front.  By leading the way in global research, providing assistance for people living with ALS through a nationwide network of chapters, coordinating multidisciplinary care through certified and recognized treatment centers, and fostering government partnerships, The Association builds hope and enhances quality of life while aggressively searching for new treatments and a cure. 

In North Carolina, The ALS Association’s Jim “Catfish” Hunter Chapter, provides a variety of programs (including the clinic support program) that provide tangible support to all those living with ALS in the state.  To learn more about the “Catfish” Chapter please visit the website at www.catfishchapter.org.