pALS Newsletter - Summer 2024 |
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The weather is sunny and warm and summer vacations are underway! We hope you've been enjoying the summer months, and we'd love to see your photos! Please feel free to email kacie.banegas@teamgleason.org and let us know what you've been up to!
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Steve Gleason Honored at 2024 ESPY Awards
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On July 11th, Steve was honored with the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage at the 2024 ESPYS. This is an incredible milestone for Steve, his family, his care team, Team Gleason Foundation, and the ALS community.  We are so proud of Steve – for his courage, his vulnerability, his leadership, and his vision to support and lift others living with ALS.
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Steve’s vision since the outset of his diagnosis was to empower people with ALS to live full and purposeful lives. Since 2011, Team Gleason has been working diligently to fulfill Steve’s vision of giving back what ALS takes away.Â
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When Steve, accompanied by his son, Rivers, received the honor onstage, he accepted it on behalf of the entire ALS community. Team Gleason draws strength from those we serve, and we are committed to giving back through accessible equipment, technology, and innovation.
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To view the ESPYS teaser video, click here. To view Steve’s powerful acceptance speech, click here.Â
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As part of the Technology and Equipment team, Lance’s focus is to help people living with ALS get connected to the resources they need. Lance connects with pALS and their families daily, walking them through the technology that Team Gleason provides. Lance was drawn to join Team Gleason after learning how the foundation’s work combines his interest in Information Technology with the ability to help others. Â
Lance has truly enjoyed meeting and speaking with new people and learning about their journey. The highlight of his day is hearing back from individuals after they have received their new technology. When he isn’t helping others at work, Lance enjoys spending time with his wife and kids.Â
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Get Involved with the Community
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Share Your Voice with the
Speech Accessibility Project |
Now recruiting individuals with ALS and PLS to help speech recognition tools understand diverse voices.
The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign will safeguard your personal information as a part of this project funded by Amazon, Apple, Google, Meta, and Microsoft.
Record your speech from the comfort of your home. Mentors from Team Gleason are ready to help you through the participation process.
Participants will be compensated -
Participants can earn up to $180. Caregivers can earn up to $90.
For eligibility criteria and registration, click here.
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Feedback Requested - Adventures and Travel |
Now seeking feedback and opinions on Adventure and travel content!
Team Gleason believes the most successful innovations are created by and influenced by those they are intended to serve. As we go into the initial planning stage on how to best provide our community with information and resources related to Adventures and traveling with ALS, we invite you to take a moment to fill out our short survey to help us gather information.
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pALS Team Gleason Adventures
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11 years ago, all I knew about Lou Gehrig’s disease is that Lou had one – that’s all. Fast forward one year and my 19-year-old baby was being diagnosed with ALS.
We have chosen to remain his caretakers until the end. He has always wanted to fly in a plane (his favorite part, not so much mine), and loves to sit on the porch. Leslie, who owns John-Boys Place has thought of everything! There wasn’t anything that we did that he couldn’t do.
Thanks Team Gleason and John-boys place for a great place to wind down and just “be."Â
A huge thank you to Team Gleason for providing this adventure for Scott, my husband, and me.
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In her Adventure application, Breanna wrote to Team Gleason: My children have always been my focus and my world. As a single mom with a terminal diagnosis, time with them has become even more precious. I would love to spend time in a place with a beautiful water view where we can visit and laugh, eat a good meal together at a restaurant, play a game, solve a puzzle and feel the peace of the water and enjoy the views of nature.
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I have been to a lot of places in my life, but New Orleans is now my favorite city and only beats out Rome, because it’s right in my backyard! Once we landed, the Big Easy vibe and hospitality was everywhere. Emily, from Team Gleason, had arranged transportation and hotel for me and my caregivers, including having a Hoyer lift delivered to my room ahead of time. Thank you, Steve and Team Gleason for the opportunity.Â
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Download the Team Gleason
Power Wheelchair Guide
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Have you seen our Wheelchair Guide powered by Numotion?
The Team Gleason Power Wheelchair Guide is focused on providing individuals living with ALS the information needed to feel empowered to advocate for themselves during the wheelchair evaluation and beyond.
This guide will help an individual find the wheelchair that fits their unique needs and desires.
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Join our next Team Gleason Virtual Zoom Gathering for both those living with ALS and their caregivers. We are inviting everyone - no matter where you live! First Thursday of Every Month at 12pm CST.
Need Additional Support? *Please note, meetings below are now held on the second week of each month.
Second Monday of Each Month* | 6pm CST: A gathering focused on adult children of persons living with ALSÂ
Second Thursday of Each Month* | 1pm CST: A gathering focused on caregivers of those living with ALS
Members living in Louisiana and Mississippi can also email Kelly Viator (below) for information on an additional meeting group.
We hope you can join us! If you would like to be invited to participate, please email kelly@teamgleason.org.
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CHOOSE TO REUSE! To return or donate equipment please contact returns@teamgleason.org so we can best assist with the logistics of the return or donation.
Save your box! Now accepting portable power wheelchair returns. Keeping the box it is shipped in ensures a quick and cost-effective method of return when needed.
If we are able to accept the donation then Team Gleason will email prepaid shipping labels for the boxes.Â
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Simply forward this email to them and have them click the button below to subscribe!
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