For Satrina Bryant-Higgins, family is everything. Her three children and three grandchildren are the center of her world. “We are all we have, and we have a great relationship,” she says. “Whenever I see my grandbabies, it brightens my whole world.”
When she was diagnosed with bulbar onset ALS in September 2023, her first thought wasn’t about herself—it was about them. “How do I tell my children?” she remembers thinking. “I’m all they have.” But instead of dwelling on fear, she made a choice: “I knew I had to be strong. It’s going to be a tough road, but we are going to fight it.”
That fight hasn’t been easy. Satrina struggles with speech, muscle spasms, and fatigue. “Sometimes people think I’m slow, or special, or deaf,” she explains. “I have to choose what I eat, time my day, and give myself permission to rest.”
At first, she resisted help. “In the beginning, I was in denial,” she admits. “I didn’t want support from the Les Turner ALS Foundation because accepting it meant accepting the diagnosis.” But after reaching out, she was connected with Michelle Shaker, a support services coordinator, who became her confidante. “She’s been my rock. She listens to my fears, asks how she can help, and finds resources I never knew existed.”
Support groups also became a vital part of her journey. “We laugh, we share, and we lift each other up,” Satrina says. “This disease is foreign to so many people, but Les Turner helps me navigate it.” Educational webinars have given her tools for the future, covering everything from nutrition to respiratory health.
Her daughter, Delia, has also seen a shift. “We’ve always been close, but now we talk even more,” she says. “I just want her to lean on me, to know I’m here for anything.”
Delia admires her mother’s resilience. “She’s stronger than I’ve ever known her to be. I don’t think I could handle this the way she has.”
For Satrina, community is essential. “It allows people to come together, even in small ways—a phone call, a ride to the doctor, just checking in,” she says. “You can’t go through life alone.”
She also wants to change perceptions about ALS. “As a Black woman, my diagnosis surprised me,” she explains. “What I knew about ALS was that it affected older white men. But I’m living proof that it can affect anyone.”
Through it all, she remains focused on what matters most—her family, her faith, and the community that surrounds her.
“People with ALS need hope,” she says. “And I have hope.”
Join us for an unforgettable evening—where we celebrate families like the Satrina’s, raise critical funds for ALS care and research, and stand together to create a world free of ALS.
Get your tickets now, early registration ends March 28.
We’ll see you on Saturday, April 5, at the Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel in Chicago!
