Walk to Defeat ALS in Sarasota raises money for patients and finding cure
SARASOTA, Fla. - John Cannistra lost his wife Kathy to ALS in 2011.
"She was an amazing person," he said. "She was so courageous, so strong."
"It was miserable. We tried to stay strong, but she was stronger than us. You know, up until her last day," Cannistra said.
He said Kathy had beaten breast cancer years before. Since Kathy was diagnosed with ALS in 2009, Cannistra has been involved with the Florida Chapter of the ALS Association, serving as the board chairman at one point.
"I made it my commitment to Kathy, her memory, and especially to my daughters that I would be involved," he said.
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On Saturday, Cannistra and his daughters, and more than 200 others, participated in the Association’s two-mile Walk to Defeat ALS in Sarasota.
"Eighty years ago, Lou Gehrig was diagnosed with ALS and got a prognosis of three to five years," Ray Carson, the Southeast Territory Executive for the ALS Association, said. "Today, 80 years later, somebody that gets ALS has the same prognosis, and that's just not acceptable. Think of all the diseases that have had progress over the last 80 years, and there has been none in ALS. Fortunately, we're treating ALS patients better, and we have more equipment and technology to support them. So, they're living longer, but the bottom line is we have no treatments, and that's why an event like this is so important," Carson said.
The Florida Chapter of the ALS Association raised about $55,000 as of Saturday. The money goes towards finding a cure, and towards helping those locally who are fighting the disease through local programs and services, including an equipment loan program.
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"It can cost up to $250,000 a year to support an ALS patient," Carson said.
Cannistra and his daughters said the walk is also a way to honor Kathy.
"Two days ago, we thought we were going to have a big rainstorm … It's sunny right now. I know what she's thinking because of just this beautiful sky right now. That’s Kathy and the other warriors of ALS that are all shining down upon us. They would not let us stop supporting this effort," Cannistra said.
Carson said they’re fundraising on the Association’s website for the next six weeks. They have a goal of raising $110,000.
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