Les Turner ALS Foundation Tag Days drives in May

In support of National ALS Awareness Month, during May hundreds of volunteers with the Les Turner ALS Foundation will participate in Tag Days drives.

These fundraising drives will be held throughout the month in nearly 30 communities across the Chicagoland area. Volunteers will be stationed at intersections, shopping areas, train stations, and other places throughout communities collecting donations to help fight ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

A true grass-roots campaign, Tag Days involves dedicated volunteers to increase awareness of ALS and raise funds for research, patient services and educational programs. Since its inception in 1994, the Les Turner Foundation's Tag Days campaign has raised $1.5 million.

Look for Tag Days volunteers in the following communities: May 9-11, Barrington; May 2-3, Buffalo Grove; May 17-18, May 23-24, Glenview; May 4, Hoffman Estates; May 9-11, Mount Prospect; May 16-18, Northbrook; May 10, Park Ridge; and May 9-10, Skokie.

ALS, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, better known as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a terminal neuromuscular disease that attacks a person's muscles, gradually robbing them of their ability to walk, speak, eat and breathe, yet usually keeping their mind intact. At any given time, approximately 35,000 people in the United States are living with ALS. While treatments and interventions can help alleviate some symptoms and prolong survival, there is currently no prevention or cure for ALS.

Since 1977, the Les Turner ALS Foundation has been a leader in research, patient care and education about Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and other motor neuron diseases. The Foundation serves more than 90 percent of the ALS population in the Chicago area, providing a wide range of services, such as support group meetings and respite grants. The foundation is affiliated with Northwestern Medicine where it supports two scientific research laboratories and a large multidisciplinary clinical program.

For information, call (847) 679-3311 or visit www.lesturnerals.org.