Being a veteran is a risk factor for Lou Gehrig's Disease (ALS)
A letter in the Des Moines Sunday Register,

Veterans are waging war on yet another front

This Veterans Day, you will read about the heroes who fought for our country in World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan.

But what you probably won't hear about is the war our veterans continue to wage right here at home - the war against ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease, which is now striking veterans at nearly twice the rate as the general population.

Although Congress and the administration repeatedly express support for our troops, they have not done enough to support our military men and women and our veterans in the war against ALS. Studies conducted by researchers at the Veterans Administration and Harvard University have found that people who serve in the military, regardless of when or where they served, are approximately twice as likely to die from ALS. What cruel irony. People who have dedicated their lives to defending our country are succumbing to a disease that prevents them from even lifting a finger in their own defense.

ALS strikes silently, slowly eroding a person's ability to control muscle movement. At first, people notice subtle changes, like pain in their feet or slurred speech. But as the disease progresses, they lose the ability to move. Eventually they suffocate because their bodies have been robbed of the most basic human function: the ability to breathe.

It's time we fight back. It's time Congress and the administration support the war against ALS by committing the resources needed to learn what causes the disease and how it can be treated and cured. This Veterans Day, please remember the war our veterans are fighting against ALS and join their fight to end this disease.

- Peggy McVey,
Des Moines.

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