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New 5K Announced for End of May to Benefit ALS

Posted at 11:50 AM, May 14, 2014
and last updated 2014-05-14 12:26:42-04

devosGRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (May 14, 2014) — It’s a disease that is discovered in 15 new people every single day in the U.S. Now, a new 5K run is coming to West Michigan with hopes of helping fight the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Officials from Mercy Health’s Hauenstein Neuroscience Center, the ALS Association Michigan Chapter and members of the DeVos family announced Nana’s Run, a 5K run/walk that will take place on Saturday, May 31 at 10 a.m. through the streets and along the river in downtown Grand Rapids. The proceeds of Nana’s Run will go towards the continued efforts of the Mercy Health Hauenstein Neuroscience Center in Grand Rapids and fund the ALS Association Michigan Chapter.

ALS is short for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. It’s also known as “Lou Gehrig’s Disease.” It’s a neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord

The event will pay tribute to the late Char VanderLaan, grandmother to Cassie and Sydney DeVos, fondly known as Nana, who recently passed away from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a progressive neurodegenerative illness that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord and is difficult to diagnose due to minimal research.

Establishing an ALS clinic at Hauenstein Neuroscience Center will provide the region a multidisciplinary center for the evaluation and treatment of ALS and related disorders.

You can register for Nana’s Run ahead of time by clicking here, or do so the morning of the race.

The entry fee is $25 on or before May 28 and $30 beginning on May 29 until race day. Only cash and check will be accepted for race-day registration.