Benefit for ALS in Menlo Park raises $1 million
In 2014, Menlo Park resident Nancy Sallaberry was playing tennis almost daily, as you might expect from someone whose teams at both Ladera Oaks and Sharon Heights had advanced to the USTA Nationals.
Then, Nancy realized something was a bit off. She felt clumsy on the court. Doctors initially suspected she might have a pinched nerve causing a slight foot drop.
Soon, a series of tests revealed that Nancy in fact had joined 6,000 Americans diagnosed each year with ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, sometimes known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Nancy and her husband Paul, a Silicon Valley executive and investor, were well acquainted with ALS. Their good friend Augie Nieto, the founder of Life Fitness, had been diagnosed in 2005 and had become a passionate advocate for research for a cure.
Last Saturday (April 21), four years later, Nancy and Paul, Augie and Lynne Nieto, Menlo Park’s Barbara Siegal (owner of Gourmet Franks in Stanford Shopping Center), and several other individuals living with ALS, joined several hundred friends and family at Sharon Heights Golf & Country Club for a sold-out benefit evening to support research into this devastating neurological disease.
The evening was a fundraiser for the ALS Therapy Development Institute, which is a tireless advocate and research organization driving treatments. Paul explained that TDI attacks this problem the same way Silicon Valley always attacks problems: head-on, with close management, and with passion and focus.
It was an evening of friendship, education, a few tears, but also some laughs when the furry mascot Lou Seal of Nancy’s beloved San Francisco Giants arrived to join the Forte tenors in singing “I Left My heart in San Francisco.”
The event raised nearly a million dollars to support ALS research. It also drove home how challenges like ALS remind us how precious – and powerful – the support of family and friends can be.
“ALS is not an incurable disease, just underfunded,” according to Augie Nieto. More information and how to support this important work is available online.
Connie Gaffin May 03, 2018 at 11:20 am
i was diagnosed 2011. i was diagnosed with the bulbar form of ALS and was given one year to live. My symptoms progressed quickly. Soon i was having difficulty breathing, swallowing and even walking short distances. With the help of Natural Herbal Garden natural herbs I have been able to reverse my symptoms using diet, herbs, which i feel has made the most difference. The ALS natural formula immensely helped my condition, it reversed my ALS. my slurred speech. And then the inability to eat without getting choked, breathing, and coughing. gradually disappeared. Visit NATURAL HERBAL GARDENS via their official web-site I’m now playing golf again. and i turned 69 today. i am glad to get my life back DON’T GIVE UP HOPE!!!
HOWEL August 14, 2018 at 6:24 pm
I was diagnosed with ALS in April 2017 and I decided to fight this naturally by better diet, natural herbs, organic food, and eliminating all toxins in my life. I can gladly say my fight is over, after using ALS herbal remedy I purchased from Best Health Herbal Centre, the herbal remedy drastically slowed my progression the first week of usage and reversed my ALS the last week of usage. I used the ALS herbal remedy for only six weeks.
I am a man of faith and I believe that when HOPE is lost ALS wins. Believe you can beat this disease naturally and have faith that nothing is bigger than God.
Clements Price January 08, 2019 at 3:43 am
My Wife was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) when she was 72 years old 4 years ago. The Rilutek (riluzole) did very little to help her. The medical team did even less. Her decline was rapid and devastating. Her arms weakened first, then her hands and legs. Last year, a family friend told us about Organic Herbal clinic and their successful ALS TREATMENT, we visited their website organicherbalclinic . c o m and ordered their ALS Formula, i am happy to report the treatment effectively treated and reversed her Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), most of the symptoms stopped, she is able to walk and eat well, sleep well and exercise regularly., she is pretty active now and her attitude is extremely positive.
Clements Price February 12, 2019 at 6:49 am
My Wife was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) when she was 72 years old 4 years ago. The Rilutek (riluzole) did very little to help her. The medical team did even less. Her decline was rapid and devastating. Her arms weakened first, then her hands and legs. Last year, a family friend told us about Organic Herbal clinic and their successful ALS TREATMENT, we visited their website www. organicherbalclinic. com and ordered their ALS Formula, i am happy to report the treatment effectively treated and reversed her Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), most of the symptoms stopped, she is able to walk and eat well, sleep well and exercise regularly., she is pretty active now and her attitude is extremely positive.