Midlands Walk to Defeat ALS

On September 19, starting at 10 a.m., the ALS Association will host its Walk to Defeat ALS event at Riverfront Park, in downtown Columbia. By far its biggest annual charity event, it was created with the intent to bring hope to people living with ALS and to raise funds that allow local ALS chapters to sustain care services and support vital research for a potential cure. The walk features two route options: a 1-mile trek and a 3-mile trek. 

ALS, short for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. It is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. Eventually, people with ALS lose the ability to initiate and control muscle movement, which often leads to total paralysis and death within two to five years of diagnosis. Every 90 minutes someone is diagnosed with ALS, and also within that same timespan, someone loses their battle with the often fatal disease.

Location: Riverfront Park, 312 Laurel St., Columbia. Times: check-in, 9 a.m.; walk, 10-11:30 a.m. To register, become a sponsor or for additional event information, call Special Events Manager Melissa Denner at 803-851-3216 or 843-971-0933, or email her at [email protected]. Also visit alsa.org.