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Crest Cleaners Supports Walk to Defeat ALS

Crest Cleaners likes to do more for our community than keep their clothes fresh and clean. We’re happy to announce that this year we’re sponsoring the DC/MD/VA chapter of the ALS Association’s Walk to Defeat ALS.

When is the Walk to Defeat ALS?

 Sunday, October 16th, 2011 Washington Monument Grounds

9:00am Registration

10:00am 3 mile walk

Why Walk?

Funds raised from the walk will go towards the DC/MD/VA Chapter’s free patient and family services programs and ALS-specific research.

What is ALS?

ALS is a quick and fatal neuromuscular disease that affects a group of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. This loss leads to the paralysis of voluntary muscles. Approximately 80 percent of people lose their lives within two to five years of diagnosis. 

The most common type is known as limb onset ALS. In this case, the first signs are usually muscle weakness, cramps and weakened reflexes in the arms and legs. Another type is bulbar ALS.  With bulbar ALS, the muscles for speaking, swallowing or breathing are the first to be affected.  ALS symptoms, and the order in which they occur, vary from one person to another.

ALS is five times more common than Huntington’s disease, four times more common than muscular dystrophy, and as common as multiple sclerosis. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that neuromuscular diseases like ALS will soon surpass cancer to become the second-leading cause of death by 2040 if no cure is found.

Read more about ALS from ALS Ontario.

Quick Facts from the Walk’s Official Site:

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease)

• While a person’s mind remains sharp and alert, muscle control is lost, resulting in complete paralysis.

• The life expectancy after diagnosis averages two to five years.

• There is no known cause, cure or means of control for ALS.

• Over 5,000 people in the U.S. are newly diagnosed with ALS every year.

• Every 90 minutes, someone dies from ALS.

• The incidence of ALS is five times higher than Huntington’s disease, and about equal to that of multiple sclerosis.

• ALS can cost families up to $200,000 a year, depleting entire savings of relatives and patients.

• ALS is not just Lou Gehrig’s disease, it is anyone’s disease. It occurs throughout the world with no racial, ethnic, age or socioeconomic boundaries.

Want to learn more?

Visit this website for more information about the ALS walk.

Crest’s Commitment to the Community

Crest is one of the top sponsors for the walk, and we’re continuing our support from many years previous. Crest’s commitment to the community expands even past the ALS walk. Not only do we use top of the line environmentally friendly cleaning methods and provide easy hanger recycling, we also have a Good Will Program to help youth based organizations fundraise.  Learn more about our services here.