HealthFirst-ALS and military veterans
Tuesday, November 11, 2008 | 1:22 PM
video of ken patterson.
http://abclocal.go.com:80/wjrt/story...lth&id=6499844

By Leslie Toldo
UNDATED (WJRT) -- 11/11/08)-- Even soldiers who return home from war may end up paying the ultimate price for their service.

On this day set aside to remember the sacrifices of American veterans

Leslie Toldo is here to tell us about a deadly consequence some soldiers might not even know about.

It's known as Lou Gehrig's disease, and it turns out nearly 70 percent of the people diagnosed also happen to be veterans of different wars.

Army Sergeant Ken Patterson was ready and willing to fight for his country. Now he's fighting for his life. Ken has ALS, a fatal disease also called Lou Gehrig's disease.
It attacks nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. "You go through anger and then denial. I thought about ending my life," Patterson said.

His speech is affected by the disease. Ken's lost his ability to walk and move.

Ken and his wife, Glenda, want to know why veterans are more than twice as likely to develop ALS.

They recently traveled to Washington D.C. by wheelchair -- 940 miles total.

The goal of the trip? To raise awareness about the link between ALS and vets.

Lucie Bruijn, PhD., is the senior vice president for research and development at the ALS Association. She says there could be many causes. Soldiers are often exposed to polluted air, chemical agents, radioactive waste and high-powered vaccines.

"What I think is happening in the case of the military is there is an environmental exposure and a susceptibility."

The survival rate after ALS diagnosis is low -- about two to five years.

There is only one drug approved to treat the disease.

"The huge frustration is no, we don't quite have the answers yet. No, we don't have the therapies," Bruijn said.

Ken wants answers but knows he doesn't have much time left. He plans on enjoying every minute with his family. "Live every day."

A Mount Morris veteran also visited Washington D.C. and fought to get help for thousands of vets living with ALS.

You will learn his remarkable story right tomorrow (Wednesday) night on ABC12 news at 5.

For More Information, Contact:

The ALS Organization
(800) 782-4747
http://www.alsa.org

Ken Patterson's Web Site: http://www.kensjourney.com

http://abclocal.go.com:80/wjrt/story...lth&id=6499844