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ALS: Anyone’s
  L
ife Story”
May 2008
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MDA’s ALS Division introduces you to 31 people  - one each day for the month of May - who are living with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or Lou Gehrig’s disease). 

This series was inspired by Augie Nieto, ALS Division Co-Chairperson, who says that since his ALS diagnosis, instead of striving for success, his goal each day is to be significant.

In their own words, otherwise “ordinary” people describe the impact of living with a progressive, incurable and deadly disease. But their stories also tell how ALS has brought new significance to their lives in ways that you might not expect. 

ALS can become anyone’s life story. Please join MDA’s world-leading effort to stop it. 

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Maureen Garrity  
Maureen Garrity

Name: Maureen Garrity

Hometown, State: Helena, MT

Age: 48

Family:
Husband: Kurt Anderson
Children: Son, Devin (14) and daughter, Katherine (12)

Hobbies/Interests:
Now I try to figure out ways I can still enjoy being outside: swimming in natural hot springs, short walks in the woods with my walker (when there isn’t snow on the ground). Something I have been able to continue is yoga. Yoga helps me by both calming my mind and honoring my body at each step of ALS. I love to travel and continue to do so as part of my work (I just haul my walker along with me now!).

Date of ALS diagnosis:
September 2007

Tell us about your life before ALS:
Before ALS, my primary interests were skiing, biking, running, hiking and being outdoors with my family. I looked at physical activity as a way to both release stress and express joy.

Tell us about your life with ALS:
My life with ALS continues to be fulfilling. I remind myself each day that I am more than my body. ALS allows me to really live that lesson of “living in the present.” Each morning I set my priorities for the day, since I don’t have the same level of energy as before ALS.

Tell us how ALS has brought new significance to any aspect of your life - family, attitude, hobbies/passions, career, etc. :
While I can’t say there has been anything good about this ALS diagnosis, it truly has brought me some gifts – the gift of living in the present and of being grateful for all the goodness that does exist in my life. I look at the world in a different way. Now I really notice and appreciate the beauty in everyday life. I am more compassionate with myself.

 
 
 
 
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