Elgin man wins 'Patient of the Year' award from ALS foundation
People living with ALS, (Lou Gehrig's disease) and their families will have the opportunity to learn from renowned experts about the latest advances in ALS care and research at the Les Turner ALS Foundation's Education Meeting and Volunteer Appreciation Reception. The event will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 6 at the Marriott Chicago O'Hare.
During the event, guest speaker Lisa Wolfe, M.D., will discuss innovations in respiratory care for people with ALS. Dr. Wolfe is a pulmonary, sleep and critical care specialist, and assistant professor in the division of Pulmonary & Critical Care at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, and a pulmonary consultant at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago and at the Les Turner/Lois Insolia ALS Center.
In addition, Teepu Siddique, M.D., Les Turner ALS Foundation/Herbert C. Wenske Foundation Professor at the Feinberg School of Medicine, will speak about his recent research which identified a common cause of all types of ALS.
“The Education Meeting is a valuable opportunity for people to learn about the ways in which emerging research and lifestyle changes can impact their quality of life,” said Wendy Abrams, executive director of the Les Turner ALS Foundation. “In addition, this meeting presents us with a chance to recognize volunteers who help increase awareness of ALS, advocate for change and raise funds for the organization.”
The foundation will present awards for Patient of the Year, Volunteer of the Year, and Junior Volunteer of the Year. Dan Weiler of Elgin will be among those honored at the meeting.
In 2007, when Weiler began experiencing weakness in his legs, he thought he might have sciatica and consulted a physician. Unbeknownst to him at the time, this was the start of a long and difficult journey involving several doctors, numerous tests and physical therapy. After more than a year of trying to determine the cause of his weakening legs, Dan was referred to Dr. Teepu Siddique at the Les Turner/Lois Insolia ALS Center at Northwestern where ultimately he was diagnosed with ALS.
Today, as his strength has continued to decline, Weiler uses a power wheelchair, has stopped driving, and everyday tasks such as getting ready for the day take significantly longer than they used to. However, with full use of his mind and voice, he continues working as an attorney at his law firm in St. Charles.
In addition to advocating for clients, he has become an advocate for the ALS community. Weiler educates people about ALS by sharing his personal story of living with this terminal disorder. In the spring, Weiler spoke to a crowd of runners during the opening ceremony at the Iron Horse 5K for ALS in Elgin and in connection with the ALS Walk4Life, the Weiler family shared their story with the media in an effort to raise awareness of ALS and the Les Turner ALS Foundation.
“I am greatly honored that the Foundation team has chosen me as the recipient of the Patient of the Year Award and for as long as I am able, I will continue to support the organization and help the general public better understand what ALS is and the impact it has on a person and their family,” Weiler said.
Ana Pagan of Chicago will also receive the Patient of the Year Award. Doug McConnell of Barrington will receive the Volunteer of the Year Award and Nia Orosco of Chicago will be presented with the Junior Volunteer of the Year Award.
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease or motor neuron disease, causes motor neurons to gradually stop working and die. The result is loss of nearly all voluntary movement, and other muscle functions such as speaking, swallowing, and — eventually — breathing. In the U.S., someone is diagnosed every 90 minutes, and approximately 35,000 people are living with ALS at any given time. Though average lifespan is three to five years from diagnosis, ALS progresses at different rates in each individual. An estimated 10 percent of all cases are inherited forms known as “familial ALS,” and a faulty protein pathway is known to play a role in all types of ALS. There is no cure for ALS, though treatment of the symptoms often improves quality of life.
Since 1977, the Les Turner ALS Foundation has been a leader in research, patient care, and education about Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, better known as Lou Gehrig's disease, and other motor neuron diseases. The foundation serves more than 90 percent of the ALS population in the Chicago area. The Foundation is one of the nation's largest independent ALS organizations and has raised nearly $45 million to fight Lou Gehrig's disease. In addition, through wide-ranging research and symposiums for healthcare professionals, the Foundation reaches the ALS community worldwide. The Foundation is affiliated with Northwestern Medicine and is a founding member of the International Alliance of ALS/MND Associations.