ALS Association Oregon and SW Washington Chapter

The Salem Foundation Provides Medical Equipment for Families with ALS

Portland, OR (March 5, 2022) —The ALS Association Oregon and SW Washington Chapter received a $500 grant from The Salem Foundation to help fund a medical equipment loan closet which is available to families experiencing the challenges of ALS in the Salem area.

The grant funds help cover new equipment and repair. Annually, the ALS Association provides medical assistance to approximately 30 individuals with ALS who reside in the Salem area at no cost.

Examples of equipment available in the loan closet include electric wheelchairs, hoyer lifts, canes, speech generating devices, and eye-gaze technology. All medical equipment is delivered to the individual’s home and fitted to their body by a partner agency called Numotion. The ALS Association provides quick access to this equipment so that ALS patients can adapt to the progression of their disease.

“We are truly thankful for the support of the Salem Foundation and are honored to have them as a partner in this area of the state,” said Amy Easton, development director of The ALS Association Oregon and SW Washington Chapter.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. ALS takes away the ability to walk, speak, swallow, and breathe and shortens the life span. The life expectancy of a person with ALS averages about two to five years from the time of symptom onset. There is currently no cure and no significant life-prolonging treatments for the disease.

About The ALS Association Oregon & SW Washington Chapter

The mission of The ALS Association Oregon and SW Washington Chapter is to discover treatments and a cure for ALS, and to serve, advocate for, and empower people affected by ALS to live their lives to the fullest.

The ALS Association Oregon and SW Washington Chapter is the central source for services and education for people with ALS, their families, caregivers, and healthcare professionals in our Oregon and SW Washington. Our chapter is available to provide individualized care services and reliable information at no cost, thanks to strategic community partnerships. Since its inception in 2002, the chapter has provided comprehensive services to more than 2,000 individuals with ALS and their families.

For more information about The ALS Association, visit their website at alsoregon.org and find them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TheALSAssociationOregonSWWashington.

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