A Family Affair

Laura Stanley

Laura Stanley knows the toll that ALS can take on a family. In her case, that toll has been devastating: since the early 1900s, 27 members of Laura’s family – including her mother and grandfather – are known to have died from ALS. Her brother, David, and cousin, Pavia Wald, are fighting the disease today.

Laura doesn’t know if she is carrying the familial ALS gene that gives her a 50% chance of being diagnosed with ALS in the future, but that hasn’t stopped her from becoming a determined, tireless advocate on behalf of The ALS Association. “I’ll do whatever it takes to help find a cure,” she says. “There is hope if people become involved.”

Laura speaks to student and civic groups, traveled to Washington, D.C. for ALSA’s National ALS Advocacy Day Conference, and helped raise more than $200,000 for the Orange County, California Chapter’s Walk to D’Feet ALS®. Laura’s daughter, Sarah, is following her mother’s lead. For her eighth birthday, Sarah asked that money be donated to ALSA in lieu of gifts. Between those gifts and a car wash organized by her friends at Tutor Time, a child care and learning center, Sarah raised more than $2,600.

Laura’s commitment to fighting ALS also led her to take an important step: remembering The ALS Association through a bequest in her will. “The ALS Association definitely needs money for research,” Laura points out, “and I want to help other families facing ALS.”

Although in her early 40s, Laura did not want to wait before making her bequest. “It’s never too soon to make a bequest,” she explains. “You need to be prepared, to make sure your affairs are in order and your intentions are clear for those that are left behind. I’ve learned this the hard way. You never know what God has in store for you.”

With her legacy secured, Laura will continue fighting for her family, for as long as it takes. She knows that ALSA will be there for her and others, funding research and serving ALS patients like her brother. “The ALS Association provides great support. The love there is amazing.”

← Meet our Donors

If you would like more information about how to leave a legacy of hope to The ALS Association, please contact us or fill out this Request Information Form.
Your inquiry will be strictly confidential.