Together with You, We Made a World of Difference for ALS Families
Every 90 minutes, someone in the US is diagnosed with ALS. In 2025, we turned your support into life-changing action by making every one of those minutes count. We funded over $1 million in research and clinical support, including a critical $500,000 emergency gift to the Les Turner ALS Center at Northwestern Medicine to protect vital research progress during federal funding freezes.
Our support services team remained a critical resource for families in our community, holding 4,684 care coordination meetings and providing $176,668 in needs-based grants for home modifications.
“It would be immensely more difficult to get through this condition without the support, advice and equipment loaned to us by the Les Turner Foundation,” said one of the many folks receiving our services.
Read the full 2025 Impact Report here.
Tissue donation is a profound gift that offers hope to future generations. Join us for our next ALS Learning Series webinar, “The Gift of Discovery: Tissue Donation and the Future of ALS Research.” Dr. Lyle Ostrow from Temple University will discuss how researchers utilize donated tissue to unlock the mysteries of the disease.
Dr. Ostrow will guide you through the donation process, address common concerns, and explain how to make arrangements. As experts leading the fight against ALS, we are committed to empowering our community with knowledge that fuels scientific research. This session is offered at no cost thanks to the Gilbert and Jacqueline Fern Foundation and Tanabe Pharma America.
Register now at the link here.
ICYMI: A Love Language of Strength
In case you missed it, we recently shared the inspiring story of the Kostrzeski family. For Lisa Kostrzeski, a Chicago nurse and mother of three, navigating an ALS diagnosis has been a journey defined by “humor, heart, and a 100-foot circle of care”.
From her daughters stepping up as her primary care team to the constant presence of her extended family living just steps away, Lisa’s story highlights the power of a dedicated local community. She also shares how the Foundation has become her “right hand,” providing the personalized support and home grants necessary to ensure she can move and breathe safely in her own home.
The Kostrzeskis will be joining us at this year’s Hope Through Caring Gala! Tickets are available now at this link.
Support the Hope Through Caring Gala: Auction Donations Needed
The Les Turner ALS Foundation is seeking auction package donations for our upcoming Hope Through Caring Gala on April 11. Our auction plays a vital role in raising the funds necessary to provide comprehensive ALS care and advance scientific research.
We are especially seeking items like Chicago sports merchandise, hotel stays, restaurant gift certificates, and golf-related packages to feature in this year’s silent auction. Every contribution helps us provide individualized support and a local community of care for people living with ALS and their families.
The deadline to donate is March 21. Please email development@lesturnerals.org with your submissions or inquiries. Your generosity ensures that no one has to navigate thisjourney alone.
Guide Spotlight: ALS & Communication
As ALS progresses, it can weaken the muscles used for speaking and breathing, leading to changes in your voice or the ability to type and write. However, with today’s technology, there are more ways than ever to stay connected with the people who matter most. Our ALS & Communication guide—available in both English and Spanish—provides a comprehensive roadmap for navigating these transitions, offering the expertise needed to help you confidently navigate the disease.
In this guide, you will find practical speech strategies such as over-articulating and breath-stacking exercises to improve clarity. We also provide detailed steps for voice preservation to help you keep your unique voice for future use with speech-generating devices.
From low-tech picture boards to high-tech eye-tracking computers, the guide offers an overview of communication tools designed to address your needs right now and in the future.
Read the full guide here, available in both English and Spanish.
In Our Thoughts
We offer our sincere condolences to all those who have lost a loved one to ALS. Today, and every day, we honor and remember them.
Eleanora Jackson
Support ALS Care and Research
The Les Turner ALS Foundation exists to care for those affected by the disease, answer their questions, support them and their loved ones, and provide hope through scientific research at the Les Turner ALS Center at Northwestern Medicine.
Please make a gift so we can continue to deliver that care and support. Together, we will create a world free of ALS.
Get Involved
Saturday, April 11
Saturday, May 16
Support Groups
Navigating ALS Together
1st Monday Group: 2 – 3 p.m.*
2nd Saturday Group: 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.
4th Saturday Group: 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
ALS Caregivers
1st Monday Group: 3:30 – 4:30 p.m.*
3rd Thursday Group: 3:30 – 4:30 p.m.**
3rd Thursday Group: 7 – 8 p.m.**
Living After Loss
4th Monday: 6 – 7:30 p.m.
Moving Forward After Loss – Partner Bereavement Group
Winter Session begins January 27
6 – 7:30 p.m.
Newly Diagnosed
1st Tuesday: 6 – 7 p.m.
Young Adult Support Group
3rd Tuesday: 7 – 8:30 p.m.
* March session moved to 2nd Monday
** March session moved to 4th Thursday
