Wendy Wilson shares the story of her husband, Michael: his ALS diagnosis and how their family loves, laughs together and supports each other through this journey.
No two cases of ALS are the same, nor are any two ALS caregiver experiences. While there is no one-size-fits-all answer to every caregiver question, there is often much to be learned from people who are, or who have been, a caregiver for someone with ALS. As National Family Caregivers Month comes to a close, we wanted to take a moment to highlight some of the advice, resources, and support available for ALS caregivers all year long.
When Tony got diagnosed with ALS, he and his wife Karen turned to each other to figure out their path forward, and they found they were better when they could face it together. The role of ALS caregiver wasn’t what Karen had planned, but together with Tony and their family, they set about figuring out this “new normal.”
Over the past years we’ve had many conversations and interviews with ALS caregivers, and while no two experiences are ever alike, there are often similarities and storylines throughout. In recognition of National Family Caregivers Month, we thought we would share some of these caregiver stories and advice we’ve collected along the way.
For National Family Caregivers Month, we are featuring David and Laura DuBois. David is living with ALS, and his wife Laura is his primary caregiver. As simple as it might sound, their conscious decision to truly LIVE with ALS is what has allowed them to face each challenge and each day, together.
November 1 marks the beginning of National Family Caregivers Month. There are many ways to help caregivers and families impacted by ALS. The ALS Association put together a list of ten ways to make a difference in the lives of family caregivers.
We recently launched Nationwide Connect, monthly online support groups for both male and female ALS caregivers designed with one thing in mind—enhancing quality of life and supporting families impacted by ALS regardless of where they live. They follow support group best practices and join people together who are dealing with similar experiences.
Lluvia Alzate started doing pageants in hopes to have the platform needed to spread ALS awareness, while her mom Fanny was battling ALS. Fanny passed away in December 2022, and Lluvia continues to honor her memory. She was crowned Miss Houston USA 2023 and is competing in Miss Texas USA 2023 this summer.
In recognition of National Volunteer Week, we are shining a spotlight on some of The ALS Association’s amazing, dedicated volunteers, and highlighting the incredible work they are doing to support our mission.
The YCare youth caregiving training program was developed to meet the needs of young caregivers who care for the adult in their life living with ALS. At the International Alliance of ALS/MND Association meeting in late 2022, the creators of the YCare program and a team of local experts presented on how they are translating the YCare program, in some cases quite literally, for use in South Africa.