October 2025 Foundation eNews - Les Turner ALS Foundation

Team Race for ALS brings together runners and supporters at the Chicago Marathon

On Sunday, October 12, Team Race for ALS joined more than 50,000 runners from around the world at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon. With 64 runners on our team, it was an unforgettable day filled with energy, excitement, and community spirit.

Together, our team raised an impressive $132,027, surpassing our $100,000 goal and making this one of our most successful marathon seasons yet.

A heartfelt thank-you to all our runners, fundraisers, and supporters who made this incredible day possible.

Interested in being part of the action? Join us for the 2026 Chicago Marathon and experience the camaraderie and thrill of running with Team Race for ALS. Contact Kim Kempf, our Director of Events and Partnerships, at kkempf@lesturnerals.org for more information.

If you’d like to make a donation to the team, we’re accepting donations until mid-November — use this link to make that gift.

Everybody wins big at All in for ALS Casino Night

Mark your calendars for Saturday, Nov. 15, and join us at the East Bank Club for All In for ALS Casino Night, hosted by our Young ProfessionALS Group (YPG). From 7–10 p.m., enjoy an unforgettable evening of blackjack, roulette, and craps, along with delicious appetizers, exclusive auction items, and a lively photo booth.

Casino Night isn’t just a great time—it’s a way to connect with fellow young professionals and support people living with ALS. Many attendees have a personal connection to the disease, and come together each year to honor loved ones and help drive progress toward a cure.

Don’t miss one of our most anticipated events of the year. Join us for a night of fun, community, and impact.

Speaker Spotlight: Yvette Wong, PhD

Join us at the 2025 Les Turner Symposium on ALS, where leading experts will share the latest insights in ALS research and care.

We’re excited to feature innovators in ALS research Yvette Wong, PhD, assistant professor of neurology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, who will present “Insights into RNA Granule and Mitochondria Crosstalk in ALS from Super-Resolution Live Microscopy” (9:20–9:50 a.m.).

Dr. Wong’s lab uses advanced imaging to explore how cellular structures interact in real time, shedding light on mechanisms that drive ALS and other neurodegenerative diseases. Her groundbreaking work has been recognized with prestigious awards, including the DP2 New Innovator Award and the K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award.

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn directly from Dr. Wong and other leading ALS researchers.

Changes in functional mobility are common with ALS and can include difficulty with transfers, the need for walking aids, wheelchair evaluations, and additional caregiver training. In this webinar, Hannah Redd, PT, DPT, NCS, will discuss common mobility changes and offer guidance on partnering with your ALS care team to navigate these transitions safely and effectively.

The Les Turner ALS Foundation is proud to offer this webinar at no cost to the ALS community. We thank the Gilbert & Jacqueline Fern Foundation and Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma America for sponsoring this event.

Register here.

Guide Spotlight: ALS & Nutrition

Good nutrition and hydration play a critical role in maintaining energy, strength, and independence for people living with ALS. Because ALS increases the body’s energy needs, weight loss can occur even when someone is eating a “normal” amount. Proactive nutritional strategies can help prevent complications such as infections, dehydration, and muscle loss.

The ALS + Nutrition Guide walks you and your caregivers through practical ways to maintain weight, adjust food textures, increase calories, stay hydrated, and consider options like feeding tubes when needed. Early nutritional management can improve quality of life and help people with ALS live longer.

Access the full guide to learn more about how to partner with your ALS care team to develop a personalized plan that meets your needs.

Read the guide here, available in both English and Spanish.

In Our Thoughts

We invite you to share a tribute—whether a story, memory, or photo— to our Celebration of Life memorial wall, keeping the legacy of your loved one alive and reminding others they are never forgotten.

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.