Cincinnati foundation holding fundraiser to raise ALS awareness

THANKS SO MUCH FOR ALWAYS LIFTING SPIRITS. IT IS NOT THE TYPICAL ACRONYM, THE TYPICAL ALS ACRONYM THAT YOU THINK OF WHEN SOMEONE MENTIONS THIS DEVASTATING DISEASE. BUT ONE LOCAL ORGANIZATION HERE IN CINCINNATI IS HELPING THOSE WITH ALS IMPROVE THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE. TEN YEARS AFTER A FAMILY MEMBER DIED FROM THIS AWFUL, AWFUL DISEASE, AND NOW YOU CAN HELP AND GET INVOLVED. SO WE’RE JOINED HERE THIS AFTERNOON BY JULIE LYLE HERE ON THE END AND THEN HER TWO NIECES. THIS IS ASHLEY NIGHT NIGHT OFF SKI. I KNEW I WAS GOING TO STUMBLE ON. NOT ONE. AND MICHELLE KEEGAN. THANK YOU, GUYS. SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU FOR HAVING US. YEAH. AND THEY’RE FROM THE ALWAYS LIFTING OUR SPIRITS FOUNDATION, WHICH IS HOSTING A FUNDRAISER AT THE END OF THE MONTH. NOW, JULIE, LET’S START WITH YOU. WHAT DOES THE ALWAYS LIFTING SPIRITS FOUNDATION DO? WELL, WHAT WE DO IS PROVIDE LIFT CHAIRS TO PATIENTS THAT ARE IN NEED. INSURANCE DOES NOT COVER. IT’S AS MUCH FOR THE CAREGIVER AS IT IS FOR THE ACTUAL PATIENT, BECAUSE LIFTING AND CARING FOR THEY CAN SLEEP. SO WE HAVE NO REQUIREMENTS WHATSOEVER. WE FIND OUT THROUGH THE SOCIETY THAT YOU NEED A CHAIR AND WE HAVE A CHAIR DELIVERED TO YOUR HOME FOR YOU. JULIE ACTUALLY REACHED OUT TO ME ONLINE AND THIS ONE STRUCK A CHORD WITH ME BECAUSE THE VERY FIRST TIME I GOT INVOLVED WITH ALS, SHE WAS A LOCAL VETERAN. HIS NAME WAS MACK MCCREEVY. HIS WIFE, HOLLY, HAD REACHED OUT TO ME. HE WAS 66, A VETERAN, AND HE WAS LITERALLY PULLING HIMSELF, DRAGGING HIMSELF UP THE STAIRS BECAUSE THEY COULDN’T GET A LIFT CHAIR FROM THE VA. AND SADLY, HE HE DIED BEFORE THEY EVER GOT THE NECESSITIES THAT THEY NEEDED FOR HIM. SO I KNOW EXACTLY HOW JUST IMPORTANT IT IS AND TO GIVE PEOPLE DIGNITY WHILE WE’RE GOING THROUGH THIS AWFUL DISEASE. GIRLS, IF YOU WOULD, TELL US, BECAUSE THIS IS VERY PERSONAL. I KNOW FOR ALL OF YOU, TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR DAD. HE WAS THE BEST. JUST A VERY EASY GOING, HARD WORKING. HE DID EVERYTHING FOR US. KIND OF GUY. AND HE HE WAS THE LEADER OF THE FAMILY. HE MY ASHLEY, MYSELF. WE WERE HIS WORLD. WE WERE HIS NUMBER ONE PRIORITY ON. SO I ALWAYS SAID WHEN WE GOT DIAGNOSED WITH ALS, LIKE, I THINK IT WAS OUR CHANCE TO TAKE CARE OF HIM BECAUSE HE ALWAYS TOOK CARE OF US AND EVERYONE ELSE. AND A LOT OF TIMES WITH ALS AND I’VE GONE THROUGH IT WITH AN UNCLE, IT HAPPENS SO SWIFTLY AND THEY GO FROM BEING THIS HEALTHY PERSON TO BEING SOMEONE YOU DON’T RECOGNIZE UNTIL. WHAT’S IT LIKE FOR YOU ALL TO SEE YOUR DAD AND YOUR NEPHEW BATTLE ALS? IT’S THE WORST THING YOU EVER SAW. YOU’LL NEVER SEE ANYTHING WORSE TO WATCH SOMEBODY DIE FROM THIS. YEAH. I MEAN, I REMEMBER WE WERE ON A VACATION AND HE WAS FINE, AND PROBABLY, I DON’T KNOW, THREE MONTHS LATER, HE HAD THIS LIMP IN HIS LEG THAT NO ONE COULD REALLY EXPLAIN. AND, I DON’T KNOW, SIX MONTHS LATER, AFTER THAT, HE COULD HARDLY WALK. YEAH. AND I KNOW. SO MANY PATIENTS WHO HAVE IT WHO I’VE TALKED WITH SAY, YOU KNOW, I THOUGHT IT WAS A LITTLE MUSCLE TWEAK IN MY BAG OR SOMETHING CAUSING THAT, YOU KNOW, FOR ME TO TO LOSE SOME OF THE NUMBNESS AND THAT SORT OF THING. JULIE, TALK TO US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS FUNDRAISER THAT’S GOING TO BE HAPPENING. I BELIEVE, AT THE END OF THE MONTH. CORRECT. HIS GODMOTHER, ANOTHER SISTER OR HIS MOTHER? MOTHER’S MY SISTER. SO WE STARTED THE FOUNDATION. SO WE’VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR EIGHT YEARS. IT IS AT THE 10TH REPORT HIM APRIL 30TH, 1 TO 5. VERY FAMILY FRIENDLY. WE HAVE GAMES FOR THE KIDS, PLENTY OF BEER FOR THE ADULTS. AND IT IS $25 TO GET IN. YOU GET ONE DRINK TICKET. WE PROVIDE FOOD AND WE JUST WE HAVE A GREAT DAY. THIS IS WHAT WE DO. CHAIRS START AT ABOUT $1,000 A CHAIR. NOW, AND WE’VE GIVEN OUT 71 SINCE WE BEGAN. WOW. SO WE ARE ON THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE WE COULD DO. MY SISTER, HIS MOTHER AND FATHER WERE INCONSOLABLE, AND YOU HAVE TO DO SOMETHING. HE WAS 48 YEARS OLD. YOU KNOW, SO YOUNG. BEFORE. WE’RE GOING TO HAVE TO GO HERE QUICKLY. BUT FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE OUT THERE WHO SAY, I HAVE A SOMEONE WHO WAS JUST DIAGNOSED, AND I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE WHEN THEY’RE DIAGNOSED AND I’M SURE WITH YOUR FAMILY MEMBER, A LOT OF TIMES THEY’RE TOLD, GO HOME, GET, GET, GET THINGS IN ORDER. THEY’RE LITERALLY TOLD THIS IS A DEATH SENTENCE, YOU KNOW, AND THEY FEEL HELPLESS. SO FOR PEOPLE WHO DO WANT THIS ASSISTANCE FOR A LEFT, DO THEY REACH OUT TO YOUR ORGANIZATION? THEY CAN OR MOST PEOPLE ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE ALS SOCIETY IN CINCINNATI. AND THE DIRECTOR THERE WILL REACH OUT TO US TO. OKAY. YEAH. SO BUT OUR WEBSITE IS ALWAYS LIFTING SPIRITS DOT COM. IF YOU WANT MORE INFO ASIAN GUYS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY. WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT. WE KNOW HOW PERSONAL THIS BECOMES AND CLEARLY IT IS FOR YOUR PATIENT. YOU START YOUR MOM YOU. YEAH. THANK YOU SO MUCH AND I TALK ABOUT IT ALL THE TIME. WE’RE ALWAYS SO JUST BLOWN AWAY BY PEOPLE TH

Cincinnati foundation holding fundraiser to raise ALS awareness

Updated: 10:26 PM EDT Apr 11, 2023

A local nonprofit working to raise awareness for ALS and helping those with the disease improve their quality of life. The Jeff Weber Always Lifting Spirits Foundation was founded in 2014 to honor Weber, a Cincinnati resident, Elder class of 1983, who died at the age of 48 after a year-long struggle with the disease.Nearly 10 years later, his family members are keeping his memory alive but advocating for others. (Watch the video in player above to learn more about the foundation and how you can get involved. )The organization is hosting a fundraiser later this month, click the link for more.

CINCINNATI —

A local nonprofit working to raise awareness for ALS and helping those with the disease improve their quality of life.

The Jeff Weber Always Lifting Spirits Foundation was founded in 2014 to honor Weber, a Cincinnati resident, Elder class of 1983, who died at the age of 48 after a year-long struggle with the disease.

Nearly 10 years later, his family members are keeping his memory alive but advocating for others.

(Watch the video in player above to learn more about the foundation and how you can get involved. )

The organization is hosting a fundraiser later this month, click the link for more.