As director of the clinical research program at the Les Turner ALS Center at Northwestern Medicine, Senda Ajroud-Driss has seen her share of potential ALS therapies. Though many drugs have not made it past clinical trials, recent advances have given …
A First Pitch for Hope: Marc Davidson’s Journey to Lou Gehrig Day
On Lou Gehrig Day, 40-year-old Naperville resident Marc Davidson will take the mound at Rate Field to throw out the first pitch for the Chicago White Sox. For Marc, a Chicago-area native diagnosed with ALS this past December, the moment …
May 2026 Foundation eNews
Voices and visions for ALS Awareness Month This May, we’re highlighting the profound realities of the disease to foster deeper understanding and drive meaningful change. Throughout the month, we’re focusing on the significant financial impact, the complex diagnostic journey, the …
State of Illinois proclaims ALS Awareness Month in May 2026
At the request of the Les Turner ALS Foundation, Gov. J.B. Pritzker has proclaimed May as ALS Awareness Month in the State of Illinois. The proclamation can be found below and downloaded at this link. Throughout the month, we look …
Looking at bridges between neurons for clues to ALS
To understand neurodegenerative diseases like ALS, researchers are looking beyond individual neurons and examining tiny bridges that connect neurons to other neurons. These bridges, called tunneling nanotubes (TNTs), shuttle molecules and proteins between cells, including small structures with specific functions …
April 2026 Foundation eNews
The Hope Through Caring Gala was a smash hit! We are still celebrating the success of our 38th Annual Hope Through Caring Gala held on Saturday, April 11, at the Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel. We are thrilled to share that …
Leading ALS Organizations Celebrate Introduction of ACT for ALS Reauthorization Act: Call for Swift Congressional Passage
Washington, D.C., April 8, 2026 – In support of this week’s introduction of the ACT for ALS Reauthorization Act of 2026 (H.R.8205), leading ALS advocacy organizations released the following statement calling for swift passage of the legislation: “This week’s introduction …
April 2026 Foundation eNews
Join us this Saturday for the Hope Through Caring Gala The 38th annual Hope Through Caring Gala arrives this Saturday, April 11, at the Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel. We are the leader in comprehensive ALS care in Chicagoland, providing individualized …
Searching for the cause of ALS, researchers look to metabolism within cells
One distinct hallmark of ALS is the dysfunction of a tiny protein called TDP-43. This protein normally lives within a cell’s nucleus, but in the case of ALS, it becomes dysfunctional, migrates out, and aggregates into the cell’s cytoplasm. The …
March 2026 Foundation eNews
Registration is closing soon for the Hope Through Caring Gala Join us on Saturday, April 11, at the Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel for our annual Hope Through Caring Gala. This elegant evening celebrates the courage of families like the Goldbergs …










