Hope for the Future: ALS Research and Personal Stories of Resilience
Jeff Vierstra has a personal connection to ALS, having lost his mother and two sisters to the disease. He carries a genetic mutation that puts him at risk for developing ALS. With an estimated 35,000 people in the United States living with ALS, researchers are working on new treatments to combat this neurodegenerative disease. Vierstra and his sisters participated in an experimental treatment at the Eleanor and Lou Gehrig ALS Center at Columbia University, targeting the mutated gene to prevent the onset of ALS. Despite his family history, Vierstra has not developed ALS and credits the treatment with extending his life. Dr. Neil Shneider, a neurologist leading the trial, believes this research offers hope for making ALS a manageable disease. Vierstra is grateful for the opportunity to live a full life and hopes that this treatment can benefit others in the future.