I AM ALS Elevates Caregiver Experience, Stories, and Needs with New Campaign including Launch of First National Peer Support Specialist Program

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Nov 04, 2024, 13:00 ET

Campaign Addresses Challenges and Amplifies Solutions
for the 1 in 4 Americans Who Are Caregivers

WASHINGTON, Nov. 4, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The revolutionary nonprofit I AM ALS behind advocacy wins including ACT for ALS and more than $1 billion increase in federal funding is now tackling caregiving. Throughout November, a multi-pronged campaign will elevate the shared experiences and unique challenges of caregivers, connect caregivers to resources, mobilize around policy actions pertaining to home health and caregiving needs, and fundraise for the future of the movement to support all stakeholders impacted by ALS.

With caregiving as a global disease-agnostic experience impacting 1 in 4 Americans who are 50 and over, the organization's cross-neurodegenerative coalition, the Cures Collective, is also coming together to participate in the campaign for National Family Caregivers Month. The Collective represents more than 50 organizations in ALS, Parkinson's, Frontotemporal dementia, Huntington's, Alzheimer's, Multiple Sclerosis, and more.

To mark the occasion and directly address critical, often overlooked ALS caregiver needs, I AM ALS has also launched the Peer Support Specialist Program, a first-of-its-kind volunteer support model for caregivers, loved ones, and individuals living with ALS. This program recognizes the value and power of the community in driving support and will provide professional robust curricula, and certification for volunteers to become trained experts in peer-to-peer client support.

"With the number of people diagnosed with ALS projected to increase by 69% by 2040, we must prepare to support this fast-growing population of caregivers and people living with ALS. There is no better or more impactful way for I AM ALS to scale than by using the superpower behind this movement – the very people impacted by the disease. The transfer of knowledge between generations of people impacted by ALS is truly unique and incredibly impactful," said Aditi Narayan Minkoff, VP of Community Support at I AM ALS.

Peer Support Specialists are people impacted by ALS who are trained to provide 1:1 client support to peers who are impacted by the disease, share information, facilitate referrals, provide emotional support, and more. Drawing from the success of crisis support, cancer and diabetes interventions, and various other volunteer case management models, the training program was designed thoughtfully over the course of the year.

More information about the campaign and Peer Support Specialist Program can be found at iamals.org. Individuals can share their story and donate at https://give.iamals.org/campaign/636487/donate and prospective peer support specialists can apply at https://www.iamals.org/get-help/connect-with-a-peer/.

About I AM ALS
I AM ALS is a patient-centric movement revolutionizing how to end disease. The nonprofit provides critical support and resources to people with ALS, caregivers, and loved ones. We empower advocates to raise awareness and lead the movement against ALS in driving the development of treatments and cures. Founded in 2019 by husband and wife team Brian Wallach and Sandra Abrevaya, I AM ALS was born out of their desire to rewrite the ALS story for Brian and the tens of thousands of other people with ALS. Learn more at iamals.org.

About the Cures Collective
Cures Collective is an ALS and neurodegenerative disease coalition that's partnering to identify gaps, reduce duplication, increase effectiveness, and unlock critical breakthroughs by uniting advocates and organizations that are committed to ending neurodegenerative diseases (NDs). The vision of the Cures Collective is to increase awareness, and accelerate treatments and cures for all neurodegenerative diseases through collective action. Learn more at iamals.org/about-us/cures-collective/

SOURCE I AM ALS