Every 90 minutes, someone in the United States is diagnosed with ALS.
ALS is a neurological disease that affects the nerve cells that control voluntary muscle movement (the muscles we have conscious control over). The disease is progressive, meaning the symptoms get worse over time. Individuals affected lose their strength and the ability to control those voluntary muscle movements which include speaking, eating, mobility, and even breathing. Although the disease can strike at any age, symptoms most commonly develop between the ages of 55 and 75. For unknown reasons, men are more likely than women to develop ALS. The life expectancy of those affected is usually 3 to 5 years from when the symptoms first appear. However, about 10 percent of people with ALS survive for 10 or more years.
ALS is an uncommon disorder, though as the population ages, its occurrence is increasing.
The worldwide number of people living with ALS is expected to rise more than 40% in the next decade. For all of these reasons and more, there is an urgent need to move fast to find ALS therapies.
John Driskell Hopkins (Hop), a founding and active member of Zac Brown Band, was diagnosed with ALS in December of 2021 and immediately went into action by creating Hop On A Cure Foundation, Inc.
There is no cure for ALS and no effective treatment to halt or reverse the progression of the disease. Currently, a severe deficit exists in this funding which is needed to identify and understand the cellular mechanisms and risk factors of ALS. By understanding the mechanisms that occur on a cellular level with ALS, scientists can identify exactly what is causing the motor neurons to degenerate which dictates the approach used in developing effective treatments. In order to achieve these goals, and put an end to ALS, there is a great need for funding and continued research. Hop On A Cure aims to lower this deficit by funding research that will make ALS a thing of the past.
Please join us in finding a cure by donating today.
