ALS Ice Bucket Challenge Progress
TeamCurtis4aCure was created after Chris Curtis, a Las Vegas native, was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) in 2014. Chris was a prominent attorney and an active outdoors man prior to the diagnosis, enjoying activities including off-road racing, running, hiking and climbing, mountain biking, backpacking, skiing, hunting, and fishing. Once Chris could no longer do these activities, he focused his energy on enjoying life with family and friends, advocating for ALS, and living by TeamCurtis4aCure’s guiding principal: #DoWhatYouCanDo.
In 2018, The ALS Association Nevada Chapter established the TeamCurtis4aCure Transportation Program through a grant from the Christopher Reeve Foundation and seed money donated by TeamCurtis4aCure to provide a much-needed resource for people living with ALS. Many PALS do not have access to wheelchair-accessible transportation and thus become trapped in their homes.The TeamCurtis4aCure Transportation Program provides PALS the use of free, wheelchair-accessible transportation on demand. PALS can use the service for medical and non-medical trips including monthly multidisciplinary ALS clinics, restaurant visits, museum trips, art and music events, movies, sporting events, and family events.
Program Achievements
These are just a few stories from the many trips PALS were able to take in 2019 thanks to the TeamCurtis4aCure Transportation Program:
- After Carol was diagnosed with ALS, she moved to Mesquite so her mother could care for her. She had progressed to the point where she needed to be moved to a care facility in Las Vegas, but her 87-year-old mother couldn't drive to Las Vegas to see her daughter. The TeamCurtis4aCure Transportation Program was able to pay for a shuttle to bring her to Las Vegas and a Lyft to take her to the care facility to visit her daughter. Carol's mother was able to visit her twice a month until she passed.
- Brian was able to take a 2-week trip to California and create great memories with his parents because they were able to rent a van through the transportation program. This was the first time he had been able to travel since his diagnosis in 2013.
- Peggy was able to go see her granddaughter perform in her first ballet recital because her husband obtained a wheelchair accessible van with the help of the TeamCurtis4aCure Transportation Program. Sadly, Peggy died just 66 days later.
- Aida lives in Fallon, a rural Nevada community that is 62 miles from our nearest support group. Aida hadn’t seen or spoken to anyone else living with ALS and desperately wanted to attend a support group and feel that she is part of a community of people who understand what she is going through. The TeamCurtis4aCure Transportation Program was able to provide transportation for her to attend the meeting. She traveled an hour and fifteen minutes each way and now feels that there are others in her condition that she can talk to, share with, and learn from.
- Ted was having family travel to Las Vegas to see him and he wanted to be able to see the sights with them. He was able to use the van to visit the Las Vegas Strip with his family. His wife was thankful they could spend time out of the house with their family instead of having Ted just sit at home before he passed away.
- Daniel wanted to see his daughter get married, but the wedding was going to be in California. The TeamCurtis4aCure Transportation Program provided a van rental to allow Daniel and his caregiver to attend the ceremony and celebrate with family.
These are just a few stories from the 35 trips and 144 days people with ALS were able to travel through the TeamCurtis4aCure Transportation Program in 2019. Nevadans living with ALS were able to spend time with family and friends or attend appointments that wouldn't have been possible otherwise.
#DoWhatYouCanDo
TeamCurtis4aCure was created after Chris Curtis, a Las Vegas native, was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) in 2014. Chris was a prominent attorney and an active outdoors man prior to the diagnosis, enjoying activities including off-road racing, running, hiking and climbing, mountain biking, backpacking, skiing, hunting, and fishing. Once Chris could no longer do these activities, he focused his energy on enjoying life with family and friends, advocating for ALS, and living by TeamCurtis4aCure’s guiding principal: #DoWhatYouCanDo.
In 2018, The ALS Association Nevada Chapter established the TeamCurtis4aCure Transportation Program through a grant from the Christopher Reeve Foundation and seed money donated by TeamCurtis4aCure to provide a much-needed resource for people living with ALS. Many PALS do not have access to wheelchair-accessible transportation and thus become trapped in their homes.The TeamCurtis4aCure Transportation Program provides PALS the use of free, wheelchair-accessible transportation on demand. PALS can use the service for medical and non-medical trips including monthly multidisciplinary ALS clinics, restaurant visits, museum trips, art and music events, movies, sporting events, and family events.
Program Achievements
These are just a few stories from the many trips PALS were able to take in 2019 thanks to the TeamCurtis4aCure Transportation Program:
- After Carol was diagnosed with ALS, she moved to Mesquite so her mother could care for her. She had progressed to the point where she needed to be moved to a care facility in Las Vegas, but her 87-year-old mother couldn't drive to Las Vegas to see her daughter. The TeamCurtis4aCure Transportation Program was able to pay for a shuttle to bring her to Las Vegas and a Lyft to take her to the care facility to visit her daughter. Carol's mother was able to visit her twice a month until she passed.
- Brian was able to take a 2-week trip to California and create great memories with his parents because they were able to rent a van through the transportation program. This was the first time he had been able to travel since his diagnosis in 2013.
- Peggy was able to go see her granddaughter perform in her first ballet recital because her husband obtained a wheelchair accessible van with the help of the TeamCurtis4aCure Transportation Program. Sadly, Peggy died just 66 days later.
- Aida lives in Fallon, a rural Nevada community that is 62 miles from our nearest support group. Aida hadn’t seen or spoken to anyone else living with ALS and desperately wanted to attend a support group and feel that she is part of a community of people who understand what she is going through. The TeamCurtis4aCure Transportation Program was able to provide transportation for her to attend the meeting. She traveled an hour and fifteen minutes each way and now feels that there are others in her condition that she can talk to, share with, and learn from.
- Ted was having family travel to Las Vegas to see him and he wanted to be able to see the sights with them. He was able to use the van to visit the Las Vegas Strip with his family. His wife was thankful they could spend time out of the house with their family instead of having Ted just sit at home before he passed away.
- Daniel wanted to see his daughter get married, but the wedding was going to be in California. The TeamCurtis4aCure Transportation Program provided a van rental to allow Daniel and his caregiver to attend the ceremony and celebrate with family.
These are just a few stories from the 35 trips and 144 days people with ALS were able to travel through the TeamCurtis4aCure Transportation Program in 2019. Nevadans living with ALS were able to spend time with family and friends or attend appointments that wouldn't have been possible otherwise.
#DoWhatYouCanDo
