ALS Association Golden West Chapter

Consider donating to the ALS Association Golden West Chapter. We have a personal connection to ALS because my dad and the founder of BenefitsCafe.com, Bob Jugan, had it. He was a great guy who helped a lot of people. Here’s a picture of me and my dad joking around and laughing.

My dad had been very healthy his entire life when he noticed some of his muscles twitched and felt odd. After a few mis-diagnoses and an unnecessary surgery, doctors finally determined that he had Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (“ALS” – or “Lou Gehrig’s Disease”). ALS slowly destroyed his ability to move his muscles – yet he was fully alert and aware mentally. Once diagnosed, we connected with the ALS Association Golden West Chapter. Their case worker helped my dad get expert advice and we participated in the ALS Support Group meetings where we met others living with the illness. My dad and our family and friends participated in the Walk to Defeat ALS to raise awareness and money to fight the disease.

My Dad endured this terrible disease for 20 months. At the end he couldn’t walk and he breathed with the aid of a BiPAP device. Even with this breathing aid he couldn’t get enough air to his organs and he succumbed to the disease.

We continue to fight ALS. I’m an advisory trustee of the Golden West Chapter of the ALS association and I’ve organized a walk team in my dad’s memory every year since he passed away nearly ten years ago. The Chapter does amazing things to help patients with ALS and their families and caregivers. In addition to assigning care workers to each person with ALS and hosting and facilitating the ALS support group meetings; the ALS Association funds research into a cure and works to influence public policy to help those with ALS. They also coordinate and help fund “centers of excellence” where medical professionals who are experts in ALS offer neurology, physical therapy, respiratory therapy, feeding advice and other care services at one location. This enables ALS patients to see many specialist at one time, rather than making separate trips to each specialist.
You can make a difference – even the smallest donation will help. Just click here to fight ALS.
Thanks,

Bruce Jugan,
President, BenefitsCafe.com

PS: You’re invited to join our team, the Bob Jugan – Montebello Rotary Club Team, for the 2015 Walk to Defeat ALS, October 18th or take the Ice Bucket Challenge this year to raise awareness and money for the fight against ALS.