8th Annual ALS Run for Hope 5K

The ALS Hope Foundation is pleased to present the 7th Annual Run for Hope 5K for ALS! This event will provide much needed funds to support the clinical, research and educational efforts of the ALS Hope Foundation!

Timeline:

7:00 AM-7:40 AM  Registration Open 
7:50 AM   Welcoming Remarks
8:00 AM   Official Run Start
8:05 AM   Official Walk Start
9:15 AM   Thank you/Awards/ Closing Remarks (or when the race is done!)

Location:

Norristown Farm Park - 2500 Upper Farm Rd, Norristown, PA 19403 at the pavilions by Parking Lot #3. 

Be sure to enter via West Germantown Pike to access parking the easiest!

Amenities:           
Scenic course through the Norristown Farm Park, performance t-shirt, bottled water and snacks. 

Race Results:       
Race will be professionally timed by the Bryn Mawr Racing Co. Results will be found at http://www.brynmawrracing.com and on the results page. 

Awards:                
Top Male & Female in each age group

Top Individual Fundraiser

Top Team Fundraiser

Contact:

Anne Rohricht: anne@alshopefoundation.org     
Jamey Piggott: jamey@alshopefoundation.org

or 215-568-2426

About Us:
The ALS Hope Foundation is a regional, independent foundation that has been advocating for people with ALS and their families since 1999. The Foundation supports the MDA/ALS Center of Hope, an ALS clinic at Temple Health,  clinical and basic research at the Dr. Robert J Sinnott Research Lab and educational initiatives. Together, we keep Hope on the Horizon!

After losing his father to ALS in 2002, Gary Kurtis knew that from that day on he was going to do whatever he could to support finding a cure for the deadly disease. When he lived in Maryland, this fight took the form of participating in the Fiesta 5K to support the work at Johns Hopkins University.

"It was extremely well attended, very popular and successful, brought in a lot of money but most importantly a lot of recognition," said Mr. Kurtis.

Participating in the race was not enough for Kurtis. He wanted to start a race of his own, however, he didn’t anticipate just how difficult it would be.  He reached out to local organizations without success at first.  "They told me we don't have the resources or the money." Despite the letdown, Kurtis refused to just give up. He was too determined in his effort to raise awareness for a disease that affected him and many others around the world. He was persistent because he made "a decision that I wanted to dedicate my resources and time to ALS.  I was really disappointed. Here I am trying to see if we could get a race and create all the benefits it does, something I've been trying to do since my dad passed away, but it was hard finding the resources."

Finally, he got the response that he was waiting for. He attended Hope Walks for ALS and was able to talk to some members of the ALS Hope Foundation team. He was impressed by their dedication and passion and decided to pitch his idea one more time. He explained his goals for the event and requested assistance in setting it up. The ALS Hope Foundation had previously hosted a run and was very interested in his proposition.  "Jamey Piggott from the ALS Hope Foundation took over and we developed a very good close working relationship and the rest was history," said Kurtis.

Not content to just sit on the sidelines for the actual event, Kurtis also reached out to friends and family via Facebook to start a team of his own for the run. In a nod to the demographics of the team, Kurtis and his supporters decided to call themselves "Grandpa's Team."

Still, what stood out to Kurtis wasn't the success of his own team, but the success of another team, Pierson Powerhouse, thanks to their incredible fundraising. Despite having ALS, Michael Pierson was in attendance for the race with many of his family members. "Michael Pierson was great, he has ALS and still was able to participate in the race," Kurtis remarked. He feels that the Pierson story is a great example of why having this race is so important. "The race brings together people who have been impacted by ALS and connects them with the ALS Hope Foundation to help ensure they get the help they need."

The race, which took place in June 2019, was an incredible success. Kurtis was even surprised by the turnout. Not only did hundreds of people show up for the race, but people were genuinely enthusiastic and excited to participate. "The response was incredible. All along we thought we might get 200 people, but I didn't think it was going to happen. In the end, we ended up having 250 people!"  The attendance wasn't the only factor from the race that shocked Kurtis. The money that was generated from the race left him in awe. "We wanted to raise $5,000 but we ended up raising $22,000, which is just incredible!"

With the first year a clear success, Kurtis has no plans to stop any time soon. He plans to continue the Run for Hope knows this is the start of a strong partnership. "I told Jamey before the race that once the race is over, I don't want it like the sports team won the championship and it's that year-long break where everyone just celebrates. I don't want this to be the end, but the beginning of my involvement to help out the ALS Hope Foundation."

Now, Kurtis has a lot of optimism for the future. Despite all the success this race brought, Kurtis wants the next race to be even more successful. "My vision is that we have this race in place and the only downside is that we didn't have a lot of sponsors but that's because this was a brand new race. Hopefully, it helps that we're all ready and established now and more sponsors will jump in. Hopefully, we'll build on this and get more and more exposure and educate the community to help those that are affected and reach a cure for this."

With the determination of people such as Gary Kurtis, we are one step closer to trying to find a cure for the disease. 

Take Action. Make a Difference. Become a Volunteer Today!

You don't have to commit a great deal of time and resources to make a difference in lives of PALS and their families. As long as you are passionate about fighting ALS and improving the lives of those living with the disease, we want to hear from you. We are currently seeking volunteers in the areas listed below. 

8th Annual Run for Hope 5K Event Day Staff

• Early morning set up: Arrive early to help the team set up for the wonderful event
• Registration: Assist in checking runners in and assigning them a bib number using an app
• T-shirt Station: Help the registration crew hand out t-shirts to each runner
• Water Stations: Stand along the middle of the course and pass out water to runners while cheering them on
• Race Marshals: Stand along the race route to help direct runners
• Parking Directors: Stand at the entrance and help direct cars to the proper location
• After event clean up: Hang back after the race to assist with breakdown and collection of yard signs

 Please contact Marinne to sign up or for more details - marinne@alshopefoundation.org

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), often referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is the most common degenerative disease of the adult motor system. It causes damage to the motor neurons as they travel from the brain to the spinal cord, called upper motor neurons, as well as the motor neurons that travel from the base of the brain and the spinal cord to the muscles, called lower motor neurons or anterior horn cells. This loss of motor neurons is responsible for progressive weakness and, as a result, people with ALS slowly lose their ability to control their voluntary muscles. Wherever it begins, the disease spreads from one area to the next, leading to weakness in all of the limbs, inability to speak or swallow, and difficulties with breathing. The person living with ALS becomes dependent on others for everything. While ALS is primarily a problem with the motor system, there can be cognitive involvement. Death generally occurs secondary to respiratory involvement, with an average life span of only 36 months.

ALS most commonly appears in people between 55 and 75 years of age, but a person of any age can be affected. ALS affects men slightly more than women with a ratio of about 1.5 to 1. Every year, there are about 20-30 new cases of ALS for every million people and there are about 20 people living with ALS for every million people. This means that across the United States there are about 30,000 people with ALS. While most ALS is not directly inherited, about 10% of the cases are associated with a family history. Researchers have now identified more than 20 different genes that can be damaged and cause the disease. A genetic mutation can be inherited, or it can occur sporadically.

There is no known cause or cure for ALS. While there are two drugs approved to treat the disease, most care is focused on managing symptoms and maintaining independence. Multidisciplinary clinics have been shown to be an effective treatment option. The ALS Hope Foundation supports the MDA/ALS Center of Hope at Temple University Lewis Katz School of Medicine, a unique clinic that provides multidisciplinary care free of charge, reducing barriers to care. 

ALS is a brutal disease. The entire family is affected both physically and emotionally by this disease's inexorable progression and almost daily changes in function. Fortunately, there are people and organizations committed to make a difference. You can be part of this community by spreading awareness, advocating and fundraising. When you support Run for Hope, you are providing hope to those living with the disease as well as funding research and educational initiatives. Thank you for choosing to make a difference. Together, we keep hope on the horizon.