LET'S BEAT ALS TOGETHER!

In December of 2023, my dad, Jeff, was diagnosed with ALS. He lived a very active life, and he raised us to be active, too. We grew up running cross country and track and continued doing it into adulthood. We were also big on skiing, hiking, and more.

Dad's diagnosis was tough news, but we're not letting that stop us. We're continuing to stay as active as we can together. On Father's Day 2024, my brother Mike and I told Dad that we wanted to try and get him back to the Boston Marathon by pushing him in a racing wheelchair. It was a challenging journey, but we successfully got accepted into the race and crossed the 2025 Boston Marathon finish line together! Read our story at jeffreybirkel.org.

In addition to running, we're also participating in walks and other fundraising and awareness events, such as the ALS Walk. Thank you supporting our family and helping us beat ALS together! Each year, the ALS Walk raises funds to support those affected by ALS and to spread awareness of the urgency to find treatments and a cure

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive, fatal neuromuscular disease that slowly robs the body of its ability to walk, speak, swallow and breathe. The life expectancy of a person with ALS averages 2 to 5 years from the time of diagnosis. We're grateful that Dad is still able to walk (not much, but he's still able to do a little!) at ~4 years after onset of symptoms. ALS can strike anyone, and presently there is no known cause or cure.