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Fighting ALS through Augie's Quest and Orangetheory Fitness

Fighting ALS through Augie's Quest and Orangetheory Fitness

Released Monday, 22nd April 2019
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Fighting ALS through Augie's Quest and Orangetheory Fitness

Fighting ALS through Augie's Quest and Orangetheory Fitness

Fighting ALS through Augie's Quest and Orangetheory Fitness

Fighting ALS through Augie's Quest and Orangetheory Fitness

Monday, 22nd April 2019
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Lynne Nieto is the “voice’ of Augie’s Quest, and a board member of the ALS Therapy Development Institute. Her leadership, vision, focus, and unconditional love are a driving force in the war against ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a degenerative disease of the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that control voluntary muscle movement.

Lynne spoke with us about Augie's Quest while she and Augie were on vacation, but neither of them was taking a full day off from their fight against ALS. Augie, who is on the board of directors for several companies and organizations, was taking board calls while on a ventilator and using his feet to control his computer. "He'll say he has a great quality of life, although compromised from his previous very active level of fitness," Lynne explained.

Lynne shared her excitement about the progress of recent clinical trials of a new drug, AT-1501, which is a year ahead of its expected research progress, thanks in large part to $6 million raised by Orangetheory Fitness studios over the past two years. AT-1501 has shown in mice that it can slow down the progression of the disease. "It's looking exceptional," Lynne said, and it may move forward to Phase II trials in mid-2019. Lynne explained in a disease where people typically die in 2-5 years, being able to accelerate research and development of new drugs by a full year, which can help prolong the lives of many people, is a considerable and extremely encouraging accomplishment. "Just think of the number of people that that's going to help," she said.

This drug is also showing signs that it may be effective in treating Alzheimer's, Lupus, and Type I diabetes, "so not only are you helping people with ALS and bringing them more hope, you're helping people with other diseases as well," Lynne said.

While AT-1501 is promising, it won't be a cure for everyone with ALS. That's why it's important to continue raising money to do research and get more potential drugs into the pipeline for testing. There are currently other drugs in the pipeline that are showing even more promise than AT-1501. Funds raised this year can help accelerate their development. "In the meantime, we'll slow down the disease's progression and help people live longer," Lynne said. She said she and Augie are "the lucky ones," as they just celebrated their 14th year of diagnosis.

How You Can Help
Donating is the biggest way you can have a positive impact. The Orangetheory Fitness studios in the Indianapolis/Hamilton County area will be running challenges and accepting donations in studio for Augie's Quest May 1-15. A link to donate outside the studios will be available here in the podcast notes beginning on May 1. 

Check out one (or more!) of these Orangetheory Fitness studios - and click their link to donate now to Augie's Quest!  

For the past two years, the Carmel studio has been the top-fundraising studio in the world for Augie's Quest. Last year, West Carmel-Zionsville was third and Fishers-Geist was fourth. (Nickel Plate wasn't yet open.) Let's sweep the top four places this year!

Augie's Quest funds the ALS Therapy Development Institute exclusively. Donations can be made directly at AugiesQ

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