May is ALS Awareness Month

Florida Gov. Rick Scott has declared May to be ALS Awareness Month for Florida citizens.

ALS stands for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, which is often known as "Lou Gehrig's disease," after the New York Yankees first baseman who succumbed to the disease on June 2, 1941.

ALS is a neurological disease that targets the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. When these nerve cells die, the brain’s ability to control muscles is inhibited. The muscles then slowly atrophy, or waste away. The patient is left paralyzed, often completely.

ALS is fatal, often striking victims in their mid-50s. Most victims of ALS die within the first three to five years after diagnosis. More than 33,000 Americans are living with ALS – 3,000 in Florida alone.

For the complete story, see the May 10 edition of the Navarre Press, or subscribe online.