var ip = "When two teachers from our school were diagnosed with ALS, the students and I started a fundraiser to raise awareness and funds for ALS research. In six years it has raised close to $1.5 million. Our organization is unique because it is run by high school students. We direct a portion of the proceeds to Project A.L.S.™ because we believe in the research.
";
var ip1 = "Online credit card donations to Project A.L.S.™ are processed by PayPal, a trusted name in secure online transactions.
PayPal employs state-of-the-art encryption technology to protect the security of your credit card information as it travels over the Internet.
MAKE A SECURE ONLINE DONATION TODAY!
";
var ip2 = "Project A.L.S's Monthly Sustainers give us a dependable base of support. And they help save time, banking fees and paper, as we don't need to send renewal notices in the mail.
Your donation is billed to your credit card each month and your membership is automatically renewed each year. Once a year we will send you a record of your giving history for tax purposes and give you an opportunity to update your pledge amount or the way you choose to pay it. Of course, you can change or cancel your payments at anytime
";
var jenifer = "Project A.L.S.™ was on its way. I didn't know if we would get there in the time of my life, but we swore to get there, to the mountaintop, where hard work, love, and determination foretold medicine for people with ALS.
";
var mcgrath = "We have had several fundraisers in our community for Project A.L.S.™ that have raised over $100,000. We have organized our own walk in the neighborhood where Mickey grew up, we have participated in the Freihofer's walk, had a Super Bowl Party fundraiser, a bowling party, a party planned by our daughter in Boston, even a lemonade stand run by our niece and nephew.Our children have attended the Project A.L.S.™ walks and the Mets games. We have had a tremendous response from our community and raised awareness for both the disease and Project A.L.S.™
Rather than waiting to die from ALS, Mickey wanted to learn how to live with ALS. The Project A.L.S.™ family threw us a lifeline and we're still hanging on.
";
var tony = "I have ALS and I would like to help.
";
var robert = "Project A.L.S.™ was enlisting ALS investigators for new collaborations and research in 1998--that's when I got involved. They made a compelling argument for a new level of data sharing and interaction between ALS research groups, and supported this view with research funding. Moreover, Project A.L.S.™ provides a context for frequent scientific meetings with other investigators; these meetings are catalytic and stimulating, and motivate us all to do more.
";
var paul = "My husband Paul was diagnosed with ALS in 2003, at the age of 40. Feeling totally overwhelmed and searching for options, we were immediately drawn to the mission, drive and people behind Project A.L.S.™ The connection to Project A.L.S.™ who, like Paul, understood the enormity of the life altering diagnosis, yet held a similar “never give up” attitude, was a great help. Their knowledge and willingness to share the latest science was so important to Paul, as was the opportunity to contribute a skin sample to the Jenifer Estess Stem Cell Lab for use in cutting edge research. He never gave up hope. We will never give up hope. Neither will Project A.L.S.™
";
var ben = "My dear friend Jenifer Estess and I worked together at the Naked Angels Theater Company. She was a warm and beautiful soul. After Jenifer was diagnosed, I hosted the first Project A.L.S.™ benefit with my mom. Project A.L.S.™ has come a long way since the night the modified “Stiller and Meara” performed at the fundraiser. I'm so proud of what Project A.L.S.™ has become and the essential research it supports. And though my friend lost her fight with this disease, I remain involved with Project A.L.S.™ because I believe a cure is possible, and Project A.L.S.™ will help make it happen.
";
var jacob = "I took a vow of silence, which lasted for four days, to raise money for research. At first, my silence was not specific to ALS. But as my silence continued, I realized that victims of ALS can not speak even though their minds are fully functioning. This aspect of the disease is very terrible. It is because of this realization that I decided to donate all of the money that I raised to support Project A.L.S.™ research.
";
var caroline = "I love the people at Project ALS. You cannot say no to them and that is fine with me because this is a disease that will be cured by their inability to accept any other possible outcome. I love Project A.L.S.™ for honoring Jenifer's life by giving hope to others afflicted by this devastating disease.
";
var ext = "Dr. Jessell's insights into the normal pathways of motor neuron generation and differentiation, and brain circuitry have allowed collaborators worldwide the opportunity to devise rational approaches to understanding and treating ALS. The Jessell Lab is working to produce specific functional subclasses of motor neurons, a prelude to chemical screening and cell replacement.
";
var eggan = "Project A.L.S.™ has succeeded in assembling one of the most interactive groups of scientists that I've ever encountered outside of my department at Harvard. These relationships, fostered and supported by Project A.L.S.™ keep the work moving at a speed we could never achieve on our own. The idea that we might use embryonic stem cells to produce the motor neurons that die in ALS was an exciting idea, but no one believed that we would be able to do it. Most people dismissed it as too risky. In contrast, Project A.L.S had the foresight to realize what a powerful approach this was.
";
var philip = "My involvement with Project A.L.S.™ came about when I was diagnosed with ALS. I think the work they are doing is absolutely essential in finding a remedy to this shockingly debilitating disease. When I first met Valerie and Meredith, some four and a half years ago, I was able to walk and had the use of my limbs. Today, I am wheelchair bound and no longer able to feed myself or brush my teeth. I am also forced to use a respirator to breathe. When I look into the future, it's not as dismal as it would have been because of Project A.L.S.™'s efforts to find if not a cure for the disease, at least a way to slow its insidious progression. Let's all keep our fingers crossed and hope that Project A.L.S.™ soon finds a much-needed, lifesaving solution. SALUD, Project A.L.S.™!
";
var thomas = "Project A.L.S.™ more than any other organization, has been effective in focusing research on the causes of this motor neuron disease through the support of new, cutting-edge, ideas and technologies. By identifying the very best scientists in their fields, and promoting collaboration between them, Project A.L.S.™ has accelerated the pace of discovery in a dramatic manner. Working with Project A.L.S.™ is like a dream come true.
";
var amy = "Amy MacDermott and her laboratory specialize in electrophysiology, the measurement and characterization of synaptic transmission from stem cell-derived motor neurons and other relevant ALS cell types.
";
var brian = "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.
";
var carla = "An authority in the field of brain circuitry, Dr. Shatz has shown that HLA genes, which play a major role in the body's immune system, may also be responsible for contributing to neurodegeneration and the death of motor neurons in ALS.
";
var chris = "The Henderson Lab is studying the selective vulnerability of certain types of motor neurons in ALS. Recently, the Henderson Lab has tracked an intriguing relationship between ALS and organophosphates. Dr. Henderson is also leading efforts to improve ALS drug screening. With Hynek Wichterle, he is co-director of the Project A.L.S.™/Jenifer Estess Laboratory for Stem Cell Research.
";
var elizabeth = "With an emphasis on gene profiling, Dr. Gould is working to identify the reasons why certain populations of motor neurons, including motor neurons innervating the eyes, the sphincter and sexual function, are spared in ALS.
";
var hynek = "The Wichterle Lab is identifying the various different properties of sub-types of motor neurons. For example, what makes motor neurons that control walking different from motor neurons that control speech? With Chris Henderson, Dr. Wichterle is co-director of the Jenifer Estess Lab for Stem Cell Research.
";
var jeffrey = "The Rothstein Lab focuses on astroglial dysfunction in ALS, both as a means to understand the causes of ALS and develop therapies. Dr. Rothstein is currently screening small molecules for their ability to enhance differentiation of glial precursor cells into neurons and astrocytes. These molecules will be further tested for their therapeutic potential.
";
var dasen = "The Dasen Lab is devoted to defining the molecular code that allows motor neurons to connect with the muscles they control. Understanding this code, which includes Hox proteins and FoxP1, will drive strategies to restore motor neuron function in people with ALS and spinal cord injury.
";
var miles = "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.
";
var kevin = "The Eggan Lab has shown that motor neurons and glia derived from embryonic- and patient-derived stem (iPS) cells are valuable tools for modeling ALS. Dr. Eggan is now using these patient cell models to understand the toxic effects of astrocytes on motor neurons in ALS. His lab has differentiated motor neurons from over 50 ALS patients with both sporadic and familial forms of the disease.
";
var lorenz = "The Studer Lab is using human stem cell-based tools to study ALS and potential.
";
var richard = "Dr. Mann studies walking in the Drosophila melanogaster, or fruit fly. His lab is focused on the role of Hox genes, which organize how motor neurons talk to their target muscles. By elucidating normal developmental pathways in the fruit fly, the Mann Lab will shed light on the neurodegenerative process in ALS and related diseases.
";
var brownstone = "The Project A.L.S.™ stem cell team has devised a protocol for converting stem cells into motor neurons, the cells that are destroyed in ALS. But, how can we be sure that these cells function as bone fide motor neurons? Dr. Brownstone is the electro-physiologist who has shown that motor neurons derived from stem cells make successful, functional connections with target muscles.
";
var fred = "Dr. Gage has worked with Project A.L.S.™ for ten years to identify therapeutic strategies for ALS, including stem cells and gene therapy approaches. In addition to identifying ALS-relevant genes in the spinal cord, the Gage Lab is interested in understanding the role of inflammation in ALS and developing drug screens based on emerging information.
";
var sam = "From a genetics standpoint, the spinal cord remains misunderstood. Dr. Pfaff and colleagues are working to identify genes that may recruit and regulate stem cell populations already residing in the body.
";
var tom = "Drawing upon its longstanding expertise in studies of gene expression, the Maniatis Lab analyzes how genes are spliced and activated in motor neurons and glial cells. In a set of related studies, Dr. Maniatis's team is investigating how certain proteins interact with RNA in ALS motor neurons.
";
var brown = "Dr. Brown is a world expert on ALS genetics. With colleagues at UMass and Project A.L.S.™, he is developing tools to silence the genes involved in ALS. Last year, Dr. Brown led a global team that completed the largest ever study of the genes underlying sporadic ALS. Scientists are tracking down intriguing clues from this study.
";
var lab = "The world's first privately run research lab to focus exclusively on stem cells and ALS, the Estess Lab is a clearinghouse for new ideas and approaches to ALS. A core collaboration between scientists at the Estess Lab, Columbia University, and the Eggan Lab (Harvard), have led to several breakthroughs, including derivation of the first patient-specific iPS cells, which are now being used to screen for drugs that would slow or stop ALS.
";
var gareth = "Much of ALS research has focused on the roles of motor neurons and support cells called glia. Dr. Miles showed recently that a class of interneuron: cholinergic premotor interneurons, also play a role in ALS. Our ability to control the output of these interneurons will guide therapeutic approaches.
";
var julianna = "There are so many things to be fighting for, you can drive yourself insane. So I figure, let me do the best and most for this one cause. With Project A.L.S.™, I see the results with every penny we raise. I can look someone in the eye and tell them, if you help, we will find a cure. As a celebrity, it's my responsibility to give a voice to a cause. That's what I can do to help. But when I meet the doctors who've been working with Project A.L.S.™ and learn about their research, I feel so inadequate. They're the ones who are doing amazing things.
";
var ben = "My dear friend Jenifer Estess and I worked together at the Naked Angels Theater Company. She was a warm and beautiful soul. After Jenifer was diagnosed, I hosted the first Project A.L.S.™ benefit with my mom. Project A.L.S.™ has come a long way since the night the modified “Stiller and Meara” performed at the fundraiser. I'm so proud of what Project A.L.S.™ has become and the essential research it supports. And though my friend lost her fight with this disease, I remain involved with Project A.L.S.™ because I believe a cure is possible, and Project A.L.S.™ will help make it happen.
";
var Goldberg = "In eighteen months I watched my friend and mentor Tony Judt transform from a fit, healthy, dynamic man to a shriveled body in a wheelchair. This disease is ravaging. A cure must be found, and I believe it will come from the passion, dedication and research supported by Project A.L.S. I am proud to have been a part of their mission.
";
var Peter = "Having recently lost my dear mother Lillian to ALS, I made a decision to start Guitar For a Cure™ and donate 100% of the sales of my debut instrumental guitar CD to Project A.L.S. This CD is a tribute to my mom and all those who are faced with battling this disease. The guitar acts as my voice and I am proud to contribute through my endless passion for writing music. The Estess sisters and those at Project A.L.S. know that research is the key to unlock a cure.
";
var Larry = "The remarkable passion of everyone associated with Project A.L.S. to finding the cure for this tragic disease is infectious. There are no boundaries or bureaucracy. Simply fantastically talented professionals and laity collaborating to the inevitable pathway to the cure. And the Project A.L.S. family does this work every day with the humanity and sensitivity that earns even more all of our support. Our family and the Frye Company are blessed to be able to join and to help in our small way.
";
var Hannah = "ALS is an insulting disease. My name is Hannah, I‘m the Director of Marketing for Idaho Shakespeare Festival in Boise, ID. My father James Morgan Read III, an avid cyclist and clinical psychologist, died after battling ALS on May 19th, 2010. On June 4th, 2010 I was beyond blessed to connect through miraculous chances with Saul and Auggie, the cycling angels behind www.moveforals.com. My father, Saul, Auggie and Project ALS make me exceedingly proud and defiantly determined to help in any way I can. I believe in the power of the creative cooperative and we will triumph over ALS together. Thank you.
";
var Jessica = "I am extremely proud to be a part of the Project ALS community. It was through my mom’s visits with Jenifer that I first experienced the effects of this horrific disease. When Jenifer wrote that she wished she could hold a warm cup of coffee in her hands again, I knew that simple and humbling request would stay with me forever. Meredith, Valerie and the team behind Project ALS are inspirational. Their passion and dedication never ceases to amaze me. I am committed to helping in any way I can to take down this disease!
";
var Vincent = "As a teenager I lost my Grandma Rose to ALS. It had a profound impact on me and my family and at the time there was next-to-no help or treatments for those stricken with this disease. I only hoped there would be a time when I could help this cause in a meaningful way. After making contact with Project ALS, I immediately knew this was the team to be on. Not only are there great strides being made but after visiting their amazing Lab and dedicated scientists, I truly believe a cure is on the way! Their open-door policy of fundraising and research is second-to-none and I'm honored to help in anyway possible.
";
var dracos = "The Project A.L.S. team is truly amazing! I am honored to be part of an organization that is working so diligently on finding a cure for this horrible disease. My involvement started roughly ten years ago after attending a meeting in New York where I met the Project A.L.S. team, researchers and scientists . I was impressed with the work that was being done in their labs, it was fascinating and exciting. The progress that has been made in the last few years is inspiring. I look forward to a long association with Project A.L.S.
";
var debora = "It's an honor to be involved with Project A.L.S. I have total admiration for the work of this vital organization and for their unique approach to research. Valerie and Meredith Estess know more about hard work, dedication, and the meaning of sisterhood than anyone I know.
";
var donna = "Jenifer Estess showed tremendous courage in facing down fear and stigma to become the founder and the heart of Project A.L.S. From the day that I met her at a Gracie Mansion press conference we held to highlight this valiant fight, I was hooked-on her humor, her tenacious spirit, and her powerful cause. Valerie, Meredith, and many others have worked long and hard to bring together researchers, raise money to fund the cutting edge lab, and spread hope to many. I'm honored to be part of the Project A.L.S. family. Join our fight-help find the cure!
";
var orli = "Project A.L.S. is unfolding the mystery of this incapacitating disease, that strikes people in the prime of their lives. With the tireless work of the Project A.L.S. team, neuroscientists and researchers have access to stem cells and crucial collaborations that would not have been possible otherwise. As a clinician, we look to the bench to bedside researchers to find the cure for ALS and other neurodegenerative diseases.
";
var stephanie = "Aware of the breakthroughs emerging from Project A.L.S's pioneering research, I contacted them (through the generosity of Ben Stiller) when the academic leader and principal of our institution,the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy,was diagnosed with ALS. They have been at and on our side from that moment- speaking on our campus, meeting with students and staff, creating mentorship opportunities for our young dedicated researchers, connecting us to renowned scientists, and supporting our community, our colleague and his family with both knowledge and compassion. Our unique partnership with Project A.L.S. is a blessing and one that will continue until a cure is found for this devastating disease. The work and tireless commitment of Project A.L.S inspires hope.
";
var betsy = " Since 1998 Project A.L.S. has been fighting to find a cure for A.L.S. Their effort to require researchers and doctors from many disciplines to collaborate and share data has created countless milestones through the years. I am proud to be affiliated with this organization and am confident that with continued support a cure will be witnessed by our generation.
";
var edie = " Rarely have I seen a mission so thoroughly and passionately executed. The family and friends of Jenifer Estess simply wouldn't take no for an answer - and that became Project A.L.S. I am constantly inspired by what has been accomplished, and continues to be worked towards - I am honored to be associated with such people, and such a worthy cause.
";
var eric = " From the moment I was diagnosed with ALS, Project A.L.S. and its staff have been there for me and my family. Recently my wife and three boys joined me in visiting the Jenifer Estess Laboratory for Stem Cell Research. My boys (13, 11, 8 yrs) learned a great deal and the staff answered many of their questions with honesty and compassion. Valerie Estess came to IMSA to give an overview of the research in the field shortly after I had shared my news with the students. We have now formed an IMSA-Project A.L.S. partnership that will, no doubt, be very fruitful.- Currently one of our students is interning in the Jenifer Estess Laboratory. It is just the beginning of a very long relationship for a project dear to all of our hearts.
";
var carlyn = " When my mother, was diagnosed with ALS my world was turned upside down. Unfortunately, the disease got the best of her, but being the strong woman and fighter she was, she fought till the bitter end. Finding Project A.L.S. was an answer to my prayers. Project A.L.S. holds a place near and dear to my family's heart and a blessing for all those affected by the disease. This organization has proven there are no boundaries! The Project A.L.S. family and dedicated researchers are working to conquer this war and other brain diseases, proving to me the sky is the limit and there is in fact a light at the end of the tunnel. Although I did not know Jenifer Estess personally, the continued support and development I see from her sisters and the rest of the Project A.L.S. family I feel strongly connected to her. My sister, myself, and the rest of my family feel so lucky to have come across such a wonderful cutting edge organization. My mother was my best friend, hero, and among many of her amazing qualities a strong philanthropist. I plan to follow in her footsteps and continue her legacy by being a part of an organization that I strongly believe in and helping any way I can.
";
var lacy = "My name is Lacy Drissi and I am an artist/t-shirt designer. My beautiful mother Patricia Livingston, an artist and event planner, died on March 16, 2011 from Bulbar A.L.S. It took four years and 37 doctors nationwide to finally diagnose her with the disease, but by this time of diagnosis she could no longer speak, walk or write. Expressing herself was everything to her and A.L.S robbed her of her gifts at a young 61 years old. She never got the chance to tell me her thoughts on what it was like living with A.L.S. nor how to go on without her, for she was always positive that she would beat whatever it was that she was stricken with. It is my mission in life to find a cure for this horrible and gross disease, and I chose Project A.L.S. Because I believe this truly amazing organization will help us get there. Knowing that at this very moment, others are going through the exact same experience that she and we had as a family inspires me to keep painting. I am committed to donate 10% of all my painting and t-shirts sales to Project A.L.S. until there is a cure. Period.
";
var avery = "My grandfather died of bulbar ALS. He was unable to speak, talk or eat. I am taking a vow of silence to raise money for Project ALS so one day a treatment or cure will be found. I was lucky to be able to tour one of the Project ALS labs and see the cool work they are doing. Thank you Project ALS! I hope that taking a vow of silence will spread on so more people can get involved and find a cure for ALS.
";
var school = "The 11th grade at the Churchill School has been touched and inspired by their interactions with the Project A.L.S family. After researching drug discovery in school, our class was able to see how important collaboration is in finding an cure for ALS and the time, energy and commitment given by those involved in Project A.L.S. Students are still talking about their visit and spreading the word about the need for an ALS cure. We hope to keep our connection to Project A.L.S. each year by visiting with new groups of students who can continue to keep the discussions going and the word spreading.
";
