Clinic set to help local ALS patients
Lafayette center will be first in state to help people with Lou Gehrig's disease


By Jan Risher
jan.risher@timesofacadiana.com

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The scientific name is amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, but it's better known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

Whatever you call it, Kelly Viator, executive director of the ALS Association Louisiana Chapter, is all too familiar with the disease and its effects.

"ALS is a devastating disease that at present has no cure," Viator says. "The disease can affect a person's ability to walk, to talk, to eat and to breathe. It progresses differently in different people. I lost my mom to ALS in 2001."

Viator says her organization works with 89 ALS patients throughout the state, but estimates there to be about 300 people living in Louisiana with the disease. She and her staff have had a busy week.

"In two days, we had six new patients this week," she says.

Lafayette will soon be host to a multidisciplinary clinic designed to serve ALS patients. The clinic will be at Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center. Currently, ALS patients have to travel to Houston for multidisciplinary care.

"A multi-disciplinary clinic is a team approach for carrying for persons with ALS. It's a one-stop shop," Viator says. "They make an appointment to go to a clinic and see a team of individuals from occupational therapy, respiratory therapy, psycho-therapy, clinical therapists, speech language pathologist, dietician/nutritionist -- physicians to serve all of their needs rather than having to set up individual appointments."

Tyron Picard, son of Cecil Picard, former state superintendent of education, says the ALS clinic has the potential to make a profound difference in the lives of ALS patients and their families.

"The care of an ALS patient is difficult enough on a day-to-day basis. Having to facilitate a 3-and-a-half-hour trip for care is almost impossible for some," Picard says.

Viator says the Lafayette clinic has the potential to significantly improve the quality of life for many ALS patients.

"With the progression of the disease and even for some people in the early onset of the disease, it's not possible because of cost," she says. "We chose Lafayette because it's the center of our state. It's accessible from the north and the south. It will be the only one in the state."

Viator says Dr. Leopoldo deAlvare will be the medical director and neurologist for the new clinic, which is slated to open in December. Team members will travel to Baylor on Nov. 9 to see how their operation works.

"I think we can benefit a lot of people," says Amy Felder, marketing specialist for Lourdes. "This is a great need for the people of Louisiana."

Felder says the clinic will also have social workers and medical equipment specialists, a patient service liaison, a pulminologist and gastroenterologist and a chaplain. The clinic will meet once a month.

With the new clinic, Viator and others are looking forward to more Louisiana ALS patients having greater access to drug trials. It will be named in honor of Orlando Thomas, who revealed in June 2007 that he had ALS. Thomas was a standout Lafayette athlete who played for the Minnesota Vikings from 1995-2001.

"We have so many patients that live in the rural part of the state with no access. We are so hopeful about the clinic. Statistically, it's proven that patients live longer when they're treated with this team approach," Viator says.
http://www.timesofacadiana.com:80/ap...WS01/711070312