The Les Turner ALS Foundation is a

non-profit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO), also known as a nonbusiness entity, nonprofit institution, not-for-profit organization, or simply a nonprofit, is a non-governmental (private) legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public, or so ...

based in

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

that provides

amyotrophic lateral sclerosis Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as motor neuron disease (MND) or—in the United States—Lou Gehrig's disease (LGD), is a rare, Terminal illness, terminal neurodegenerative disease, neurodegenerative disorder that results i ...

(ALS) patient services; supports events, education and awareness about ALS; and funds ALS research. Since it was founded, it has raised over $64 million.

History and programs

The Foundation was founded by Les Turner, a Chicago businessman, and his family after he was diagnosed with

(ALS) in 1976. Les Turner serves nearly 90 percent of ALS patients in the

Chicago metropolitan area The Chicago metropolitan area, also referred to as Chicagoland, is the largest metropolitan statistical area in the U.S. state of Illinois, and the Midwest, containing the City of Chicago along with its surrounding suburbs and satellite cities. ...

. In 1979, the Les Turner ALS Research Laboratory was opened at

Northwestern Medicine Northwestern Medicine, formerly Northwestern Memorial Healthcare, is a non-profit healthcare system affiliated with the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, in Chicago, Chicago, Illinois. Members include research hospitals, Acute ...

. Then, in 1986, the Lois Insolia ALS Clinic was opened at Northwestern to provide patient services. It was one of the first multidisciplinary ALS clinics opened in the United States. Currently, in addition to medical care, the clinic offers access to clinical trials and research studies. In 1983, the Foundation started patient support groups. The groups are now offered online at no cost. In 1992, Les Turner ALS became a founding member of the International Alliance of ALS/MND Associations. In 2002, the Foundation's main event, the ALS Walk for Life was started. In 2014, the Les Turner ALS Center at

was created to "accelerate research and advance patient care". The Center was opened in addition to the continual operation of three research laboratories and the Lois Insolia ALS Clinic. Among the Center's contributions to ALS research have been the 1993 co-discovery of the first genetic mutation linked to cause ALS,

SOD1 Superoxide dismutase u-Zn'' also known as superoxide dismutase 1 or hSod1 is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the ''SOD1'' gene, located on chromosome 21. SOD1 is one of three human superoxide dismutases. It is implicated in apoptosis, fami ...

, as well as FUS in 2009 and others linked to familial ALS. In 2015, Les Turner ALS released the campaign, "Freeze ALS", along with 12 ice sculptures around Chicago for

ALS Awareness Month ALS Awareness Month is a campaign to spread awareness of and raise funds for research for a cure for ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease). Canada In Canada, June has been declared as ALS Awareness Month by the ...

References

External links

Website

Les Turner ALS Research and Patient Center at Northwestern Medicine
Organizations established in 1977 1977 establishments in Illinois Medical and health organizations based in Illinois Non-profit organizations based in Chicago Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis {{US-health-org-stub

History and programs

References

Further reading

External links