January 2020 eNews
Goodbye 2019, Hello 2020.
As we gratefully welcome a new decade, we want to thank all of you, our incredible community, for your support in 2019 as we continued to grow and work toward our vision of a world without ALS. It was an exceptional year for the Greater Sacramento Chapter, putting us on course to offer expanded programs and improved access to services for those living with ALS in 24 counties across Northern California. We have big goals to achieve in 2020 and--as always--those living with ALS, their caregivers, and loved ones will remain at the forefront of everything we do. With your help, we will fulfill our mission to discover treatments and a cure for ALS, and to serve, advocate for, and empower people affected by ALS to live their lives to fullest.   
 
We wish you all the best in the New Year!
 
Amy, Nancy, Stefanie, Julia, & Norriell
Lawmakers Agree on Spending Bill that Fully Funds ALS Association Priorities
A 2020 federal spending agreement reached Monday between House and Senate negotiators would fully fund key spending priorities of The ALS Association and its advocates. ALS advocates have sent 13,800 letters and 3,600 tweets, and held more than 700 meetings in the past year to secure full federal funding of ALS research. 
Bravo, Dr. Shelly Hoover! Educator, Advocate, and Author
Start 2020 on the right path by doing something good for your body, mind, AND The ALS Association Greater Sacramento Chapter – all at the same time! Join us and published author, Dr. Shelly Hoover, at the Cyclebar in Roseville on January 25 th for the 11:30am class and the official release of her book, Timeless Sisters: Peace at the River! Paperback copies will be sold for $20 each and 100% of proceeds will benefit the Greater Sacramento Chapter! Complimentary refreshments will be provided.
Remembering Pete Frates, Co-Founder of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge
With heavy hearts, The ALS Association joins the ALS community in celebrating the legacy and mourning the loss of Pete Frates, who died last month at age 34 after a seven-year battle with ALS.  
Pete lived a Hall of Fame life. 
Chapter Resource Center Expands DME Loan Closet
The Greater Sacramento Chapter of The ALS Association just received several new portable power chairs in their durable medical equipment loan program for pALS seeking to travel the friendly skies. These lightweight and foldable power wheelchairs weigh only 43 pounds, are airline approved, and are easy to transport. To borrow one of these chairs for an upcoming trip, please contact Norriell Richards at [email protected] or call 916.979.9265. You can also visit our Chapter Resource Center at 5701 Sunrise Blvd. Citrus Heights to give one a test drive.
2019 Highlights in the Fight Against ALS
As 2019 winds down, we look back on some of the important progress made this year in the fight to change the future of ALS. With the hard work and help from so many across the ALS community, the ALS Association was able to make great strides in our key mission areas, bringing us one step closer to our vision of a world without ALS.
Five Myths about ALS

While recent years have brought a wealth of new scientific understanding regarding the physiology of ALS, there is still some mystery and misinformation surrounding the disease.
Below we break down five of the most common misconceptions about ALS.
The ALS Association and coalition partners call for quick review of ACA by SCOTUS

The ALS Association and 23 partners that represent millions of patients across the country released a statement strongly supporting the petitions filed today by state attorneys general and by the U.S. House of Representatives that seek expedited U.S. Supreme Court review of last month’s Texas v. United States ruling. The ruling endangers patient access to adequate, accessible and affordable health care.
ALS Roundtable on Ensuring Access to New Therapies for People With ALS


With many ALS drugs now in phase II and III clinical trials, The ALS Association is considering strategies that will ensure any new treatments are accessible and affordable. We used our second ALS Roundtable to explore several important questions for our community including: How will these new therapies get paid for? How can people access to them? How long will it take to get access? 
NurOwn and the Therapy Development Process


The ALS Association, our partner ALS organizations, and the wider ALS community are all hopeful that several therapies currently in Phase 3 clinical trials will prove to be successful in slowing, halting, or reversing ALS.