Hoffman golf outing aids family struck by ALS

A golf outing and dinner fundraiser to raise money for a suburban man with ALS will be Tuesday, Aug. 23, at Hilldale Golf Club in Hoffman Estates and Chicago Prime Steakhouse in Schaumburg.

Golf will begin with a shotgun start at 10 a.m. There will be several special contests throughout the outing, including a hole-in-one, longest drive and putting contest. A light lunch will be provided on the course.

The evening begins at Chicago Prime Steakhouse at 5:30 p.m. with cocktails, followed by dinner at 6:30 p.m. During the evening there will be raffles, golf prizes and a silent auction. Various golf and dinner packages are available.

For information and registration, email familiesofals@gmail.com or visit familiesofals.com. The deadline for registration is Aug. 15.

“If you can’t make it to the outing, you can make donations through our website,” said Paul Castle, event coordinator. “All proceeds go to benefit Andy Schroeder and his family. We appreciate any and all support.”

Castle said Schroeder is 36 and an avid runner who started feeling strange after last year’s Indianapolis Marathon.

“He attributed his feelings to a muscle pull in his leg that was taking a long time to heal. When he realized that it couldn’t be the muscle, he went to specialists and found out that he had ALS,” commonly called Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Andy and his wife, Teresa, had their first baby on Thanksgiving Day of 2010. In February 2011, Andy found out he had ALS.

He has recently retired from working as a chiropractor due to the disease progression and to spend time with his wife and son. The fundraiser will help offset the household and medical expenses the family will incur.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurological disease that attacks the nerve cells responsible for controlling voluntary muscles. ALS can progress quickly after the onset of symptoms.

With ALS, nerve cells located in the brain, brainstem and spinal cord gradually degenerate. As these cells die, they stop transmitting messages to muscles, which gradually weaken and show signs of atrophy.

Over time, ALS affects most voluntary muscles in the body. In later stages, the muscles used for breathing are affected and assistance usually becomes necessary.