The ALS Association Greater Philadelphia Chapter covers all the bases in North Central Pennsylvania through Research, Advocacy, and Patient Services. People with Lou Gehrig's Disease in the area use the clinic at Geisinger Medical Center and rely on the Greater Philadelphia Chapter for our specialized services and programs to help them live fuller lives with ALS while joining together in hope for a cure.

Bloomsburg, Jorge's Walk to Defeat ALS ^(R)

The ALS community comes together each year in North Central Pennsylvania for the Bloomsburg, Jorge's Walk to Defeat ALS^(R) , which raises thousands of dollars to help fund critical ALS programs, such as the clinic at Geisinger Medical Center, in Danville, PA. Families from throughout the region come together to raise money, raise hope, and build a community dedicated to supporting those living with Lou Gehrig's Disease. The next Walk to Defeat ALS^(R) in Bloomsburg is on Saturday, May 18th, 2013.

 

Click here to join the community at the Bloomsburg, Jorge's Walk to Defeat ALS(R).

 

 

ALS Clinic and Patient Services

The ALS Association Greater Philadelphia Chapter supports four ALS clinics, including an affiliate clinic at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, PA. These clinics allow ALS patients to meet with as many as a dozen caregivers in one day, including a doctor, a nurse, speech and occupational therapists, and other staff that address all aspects of Lou Gehrig's Disease. Clinic visits give patients the piece of mind to know how to move forward with their disease and to know what ALS Association programs could best benefit them.  

The ALS clinics also introduce people to the Lea R. Powell Patient Services Program. These programs include valuable Resource Groups, the Abrams In-Home Care Program, the Marjorie Shimer Equipment Loan Closet, the Cox Accessibility Fund, van transportation, respite care, and the Scott A. Mackler Assistive Technology Program. The ALS Association is proud to provide these critical services to help both patients and families.

The ALS Clinics and patient services programs are supported in large part from the Walk to Defeat ALS^(R)

 

 

 

ALS Advocacy

Through the efforts of local ALS Advocates such as Rosa Snyder, The ALS Association was able to secure a $300,000 line item in the Pennsylvania state budget that passed in June 2012. This funding will go directly to ALS patient services throughout the state. Legislators such as area State Representative Dave Millard were moved by the personal stories of family members affected by Lou Gehrig's Disease.

Nationally, our advocates have successfully lobbied Congress to invest millions of dollars into ALS research and created both the ALS Registry and the ALS Research Project at the Department of Defense.

 

Click here to add your voice as an ALS Advocate.