August Update: Atlanta ALS sufferer Garry Phebus has made national headlines with a YouTube video, in which he makes a case for ending his life early so that his organs may be put to good use while still healthy. Phebus was diagnosed with ALS in 2008, which he calls “a death sentence, positively, no questions asked.” “I am not suicidal,” he says. “I just know that it is a matter of time before I die and wish to do a good thing for those people who have a good life expectancy.”

Physicians were quick to assert that one in ten ALS sufferers can live for decades (for example, high-profile ALS sufferer, Dr. Stephen Hawking), though the vast majority of the approximately 5,600 Americans diagnosed this year can expect only two to five years. Additionally, few if any doctors would risk State censure for assisted suicide — which is how the operation that Phebus proposes would almost certainly be viewed. Phebus’ daughter, Kerry Wilkinson, expresses some reservations for the time being, but asserts that when her father “gets to the point where he’s lost his pride or become humiliated in how he’s having to suffer and the indignities … we’re not going to have an issue with that.”

Curt’s Pitch for ALS was a charity program set up by former MLB pitcher Curt Schilling and his wife Shonda. Schilling’s unique twist was to donate to ALSA for every strikeout. Now retired, Schilling nevertheless continues his efforts in the fight against ALS, as well as a number of other worthy causes. On our site, we offer a brief bio of the Schillings, basic information on ALS/ Lou Gehrig’s disease, and helpful links to other ALS resources on the Web.

The ALS Association (ALSA) (http://www.alsa.org) We’ve maintained this webpage as a service to those who have it bookmarked or otherwise come across the site while looking for more information about ALS or Curt and Shonda Schilling. Most of the original content has been preserved; we make no claims as to the status of copyright or authorship of said content, and welcome any input from the original domain holders and authors of the material herein.

Jan Autim catalogs research documents and raises funds for Curt’s Pitch. She is well known for numerous medical weight loss articles and several books on the doctor supervised, medical weight loss & other dieting strategies. She also volunteers as a dog walker for the Altamonte Animal Shelter.