I AM ALS Hosts Inaugural Community Summit and 3rd Annual Flag Event in Washington, DC for ALS Awareness Month

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May 22, 2024, 09:02 ET

The patient-led movement is focused on accelerating progress through awareness building, convening, partnerships, and the upcoming release of its companion documentary FOR LOVE & LIFE: NO ORDINARY CAMPAIGN on Prime Video

WASHINGTON, May 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- I AM ALS – a nonprofit movement supporting and mobilizing people impacted by Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) – kicks off its first ALS Community Summit in Washington, DC next week, from May 29 to June 1, 2024. With a growing focus on collective power to generate quick and urgent progress towards a cure, I AM ALS is collaborating with numerous ALS organizations and partners throughout the week. The event also coincides with the launch of the new and inspiring documentary on Prime Video, FOR LOVE & LIFE: NO ORDINARY CAMPAIGN, the story of I AM ALS and its incredible co-founders as they launched a movement to mobilize the ALS community and revolutionize the path to treatments and cures.

The I AM ALS Community Summit presents a unique opportunity for networking, collaboration, and learning among individuals passionate about making a difference in the fight against ALS. Patient, caregiver, and other expert panelists will share unique insights, experiences, and best practices on important issues facing the ALS community, such as home care, caregiver needs, accessibility, advocacy best practices, and more. True to its patient-led mission, a committee of advocates co-created an agenda based on topics of interest to the community.

A central focus of the week, I AM ALS will host its third annual ALS Awareness Month flag event, displaying 6,000 flags on the National Mall, symbolizing the estimated number of Americans diagnosed with ALS every year. The flag installation serves as a powerful visual representation of the disease's impact on individuals and families and will raise public awareness and foster dialogue about the urgent need for action.

"These events are critical to our goals this ALS Awareness Month - improving public understanding of ALS, advocating for community needs, and community togetherness," said Andrea Goodman, CEO of I AM ALS. "The individuals impacted by ALS are the best experts, and it's our duty to provide a platform for them to learn from each other's experiences, inform the public and other stakeholders, and advocate for meaningful change. We look forward to uniting with our community and partner organizations to drive progress and make our voices heard."

Notably, I AM ALS is proud to host Nnenna Freelon at this event, wife of the late Phil Freelon, the National Museum of African American History and Culture's lead architect whose life was cut short by ALS. This partnership underscores I AM ALS's commitment to equity, inclusion, and amplifying diverse voices in the fight against ALS.

For more information about I AM ALS and the 2024 Community Summit and ALS Awareness Month events, including the newly released documentary on Prime Video and the full list of dozens of collaborating partners, visit www.iamals.org.

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 www.iamals.org.

SOURCE I AM ALS