Family of Parkland Shooting Victim Who Wanted to Cure ALS Establishes ALS Research Fund

WASHINGTON, March 28, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The family of Carmen Schentrup, who was killed in the February mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., has established the Carmen Schentrup ALS Research Fund to support research into a cure for ALS. Any donations made to the fund will go directly to ALS research through The ALS Association.

Schentrup, a National Merit Finalist who was accepted into the University of Florida Honors Program and as a University of Washington Purple and Gold Scholar, planned to begin college in the fall.

"Carmen wanted to make the world a better place. She was determined to become a leading medical researcher and discover a cure for ALS. We truly believe that Carmen was going to change the world," said April Schentrup, Carmen's mother.

"Please join Carmen in her quest to find a cure for ALS," she added.

The family established the Carmen Schentrup ALS Research Fund with an initial gift of $5,628.84 – Carmen's entire life savings.

"We mourn the loss of all the victims of this senseless tragedy and extend our deepest sympathies to their families and loved ones. Carmen dreamed of a world that was free of ALS, a vision we share at The ALS Association. It is with heavy hearts that we join her family in fighting to make Carmen's dream come true," said Calaneet Balas, president and CEO of The ALS Association.

The ALS Association is committed to helping grow the Carmen Schentrup ALS Research Fund to more than $50,000, a tenfold increase from Carmen's life savings. Donations can be made here.

About ALS
ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Eventually, people with ALS lose the ability to initiate and control muscle movement, which often leads to total paralysis and death within two to five years of diagnosis. For unknown reasons, veterans are twice as likely to develop ALS as the general population.

About The ALS Association
The ALS Association is the only national non-profit organization fighting Lou Gehrig's Disease on every front. By leading the way in global research, providing assistance for people with ALS through a nationwide network of chapters, coordinating multidisciplinary care through certified clinical care centers, and fostering government partnerships, The ALS Association builds hope and enhances quality of life while aggressively searching for new treatments and a cure. For more information about The ALS Association, visit our website at www.alsa.org.

SOURCE The ALS Association

Related Links

http://www.alsa.org