The ALS Association Teams Up with MLB Pitcher Aaron Nola to #StrikeOutALS and Recognize 5th Annual Lou Gehrig Day

Philadelphia Phillies Pitcher Continues Support of Fight Against ALS in Honor of Late Uncle
ARLINGTON, Va., May 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The ALS Association is recognizing the 5th annual Lou Gehrig Day, taking place June 2nd at baseball parks across the country. Lou Gehrig Day honors the legacy of the legendary first baseman, who was diagnosed with ALS at the height of his playing career. He died on June 2, 1941, just two years after his diagnosis. Sadly, ALS is still 100% fatal and can strike anyone at any time.
As part of the nationwide effort, the ALS Association will be partnering with baseball teams across the country to host events commemorating Lou Gehrig Day. These events may include pre-game ceremonies, special on-field presentations, guest speakers and fundraising initiatives.
"Lou Gehrig Day is an important opportunity to remind baseball fans around the country about the urgent need for a cure for ALS," said Brian Frederick, chief marketing and communications officer for the ALS Association. "Lou was an incredible player who inspired millions but could not beat this fatal disease. With the public's help, we can turn ALS from fatal to livable and then cure it. We have an amazing community of people living with ALS and their loved ones and they need our support."
For the second consecutive season, the ALS Association is teaming up with Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Aaron Nola to raise awareness of ALS and support research and care through the the Big League Impact campaign. Nola is donating $1,500 for every strikeout he records to the ALS Association, a $500 increase from last season's $1,000 per strikeout commitment. The cause remains deeply personal to him after losing his uncle, Alan Andries, to ALS in 2021.
In recognition of his ongoing advocacy, Nola was recently named a 2025 Philanthropy Award Winner by the Major League Baseball Players Trust, which awarded a $10,000 grant in his honor to the ALS Association. Nola was recognized for his dedication to ALS research and his charitable efforts supporting veterans.
"We are grateful to Aaron and everyone in baseball who supports the fight against ALS," said Larry Falivena, a person living with ALS who serves on the ALS Association Board of Trustees. "We may support different teams on the field, but off the field, we are all dedicated to making ALS livable and then curing it. We have made great strides in ALS research and care since Lou Gehrig was diagnosed and we have to keep the momentum going."
The ALS Association encourages fans, players, and organizations to join the fight against ALS by finding a Lou Gehrig Day game in their community by visiting als.org/4ALS or by joining Aaron and his campaign to Strike Out ALS at als.org/strikeoutals. Together, we can honor Lou Gehrig's legacy, cheer for our beloved teams and make ALS History.
About ALS
ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. Eventually, people with ALS lose the ability to initiate and control muscle movement, which often leads to total paralysis and death within two to five years of diagnosis. For unknown reasons, veterans are more likely to develop ALS than the general population.
About the ALS Association
The ALS Association is the largest philanthropic funder of ALS research in the world. The Association funds global research collaborations, assists people with ALS and their families through its nationwide network of care and certified clinical care centers, and advocates for better public policies for people with ALS. The ALS Association is working to make ALS a livable disease while urgently searching for new treatments and a cure. For more information about the ALS Association, visit our website at als.org.
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-als-association-teams-up-with-mlb-pitcher-aaron-nola-to-strikeoutals-and-recognize-5th-annual-lou-gehrig-day-302469587.html
SOURCE The ALS Association
Melden Sie sich an, um Ihr Portfolio aufzurufen.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

New York Post

an hour ago

• New York Post

‘Does not bode well': The 3 toxic phrases you should never utter your partner, according to experts

Sticks and bones may break my bones, but words can destroy a romantic bond. Psychologist and author Jeffrey Bernstein has revealed three 'toxic phrases' that people should never say to their partner if they want to keep their relationship strong. 'When we first meet, and during the embryonic stages of loving relationships, we tend to be on our best behavior,' said the mind doc while writing for Psychology Today. 'Yet, way too often, over time, we let down our guard and allow ourselves to respond to our partners in ways that don't feel good.' If these phrases become habitual, one's relationship is likely 'doomed to fail,' he said. Bernstein even cited an example of how a relationship was killed by these phrases. JustLife – According to Bernstein, the three verbal turnoffs are 'you're overreacting,' 'it's no big deal,' and 'you're too sensitive.' 'Even if you're trying to calm things down, such responses can feel dismissive and lead to your partner feeling judged,' said the psychologist who outlines these romance-eroding expressions in his book 'Why Can't You Read My Mind?' Dr Bernstein, who is also a counselor, cited the example of how one relationship was killed by these discouraging phrases. 'A few years ago, Lisa came to see me because she was struggling in her marriage with Aaron,' he explained. 'She said, 'In the earlier days, Aaron would tell me he was crazy about me, but in the last couple of years, all he does is tell me I'm crazy when I try to talk to him about important things in our relationship.'' Their relationship ended several months later. Another surefire way to jeopardize one's relationship? 'Keeping score,' according to Bernstein, who defined this behavior as mentally tallying things like 'who apologized last, initiated intimacy, or picked up around the house.' This reportedly 'breeds resentment and power struggles,' he said. Bernstein also warned couples off of 'stonewalling' or shutting down and refusing to communicate. 'Given that the hallmark of any healthy relationship is the ability to have calm, constructive conversations, stonewalling does not bode well for any relationship's future,' he warned.

USA Today

2 hours ago

• USA Today

Francisco Lindor Player Props: June 21, Mets vs. Phillies

Francisco Lindor will try to get back on track following a hitless showing in his previous game (0 for 4). His New York Mets take on Mick Abel and the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday at 7:15 p.m. ET on FOX. Find odds, stats, and more below to make your Francisco Lindor player prop bets. Lindor is hitting .264 with 13 doubles, 14 home runs and 28 walks. Lindor's home runs rank 24th in MLB and he ranks 56th in RBI in MLB. Watch tonight's Mets game on Fubo! Francisco Lindor Prop Bets and Odds How to Watch New York Mets vs. Philadelphia Phillies Francisco Lindor vs. Mick Abel Francisco Lindor prop bet insights MLB odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook. Odds updated Saturday at 1:28 p.m. ET. For a full list of sports betting odds, access USA TODAY Sports Betting Scores Odds Hub. Francisco Lindor stats against the Phillies Phillies starter: Mick Abel

Yahoo

5 hours ago

• Yahoo

Eric Dane Reveals His Right Arm No Longer Works Amid ALS Battle

Eric Dane just revealed in April that he'd been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), but he's already lost function in his right arm and worries about weakness on his left side and in his legs. 'My left side is functioning, my right side has completely stopped working,' the Grey's Anatomy alum said, after sharing he only had 'one functioning arm,' in an interview with Diane Sawyer that aired on Monday and Tuesday's Good Morning America. 'I feel like maybe a couple more months and I won't have my left hand either. It's sobering.' More from The Hollywood Reporter Sandra Oh Urges Dartmouth Graduates to Dance in "Destabilizing Times" as She Talks DEI and 'Grey's' Changes She Fought For Eric Dane Speaks Out on ALS Diagnosis: "I Don't Think This is The End of My Story" Sydney Sweeney Reacts to Leaked 'Euphoria' Wedding Dress Photos: "I Can't Confirm or Deny" Cassie Gets Married Dane, who appeared somewhat physically weak in the pre-taped conversation, already had a scary incident with his 13-year-old daughter when the former competitive swimmer and water polo player jumped into the water and realized he didn't have the strength to swim. 'She dragged me back to the boat,' he said of his child, adding that he broke down in tears. 'I was just, I was, like, heartbroken.' Dane said his symptoms began over a year ago when he started to notice weakness in his right hand. 'I didn't really think anything of it at the time. I thought maybe I'd been texting too much or my hand was fatigued,' he recalled. 'But a few weeks later, I noticed it had gotten a little worse.' He then ended up seeing a series of doctors, including two hand specialists and neurologists, the second of which told him, 'This is way above my pay grade.' After nine months of testing, he got the ALS diagnosis: 'I'll never forget those three letters.' The neurological disorder, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, affects motor neurons, a type of nerve cell in the brain and spinal cord that control voluntary muscle movement and breathing, according to the National Institutes of Health. As these cells deteriorate, muscles weaken and waste away and the brain loses its ability to start and control functions like walking, talking, chewing and breathing. The disease gets worse over time. Dane, who plays Cal Jacobs on Euphoria and stars in the upcoming Prime Video police thriller Countdown, was focused on his family as he talked to Sawyer and said he wants to work as long as he's able. 'I mean, I really, at the end of the day, just, all I want to do is spend time with my family and work a little bit if I can,' he said. 'I don't think this is the end of my story. I just don't feel like, in my heart, I don't feel like this is the end of me.' He grew emotional when he referenced wife, Rebecca Gayheart, whom he called his 'biggest champion.' 'I talk to her every day,' he said, pausing to collect himself as he got choked up. 'We have managed to become better friends and better parents. And she is … probably my biggest champion and my most stalwart supporter. And I lean on her.' And after losing his own father to suicide at the age of 7, Dane is 'angry' the disease could also take him from his teenage daughters while they're young. 'I'm angry because, you know, my father was taken from me when I was young,' he said. 'And now, you know, there's a very good chance I'm going to be taken from my girls while they're very young.' There's currently no known cure for ALS, and most people die from being unable to breathe on their own, usually within three to five years of symptoms first appearing, according to NIH. Approximately 10 percent of people diagnosed with ALS survive for 10 years or more. Sawyer had teased the second part of the interview, which aired on Tuesday, when she would speak with Dane and his doctor, Dr. Merit Cudkowicz, the executive director at Massachusetts General Brigham Neuroscience Institute. 'It's a hard diagnosis to hear, but I want them to hear that there's hope,' said Cudkowiczm, speaking to others with ALS, which she said affects 5,000 people per year and is a number that is rising too quickly. 'I never want anyone to hear that there's nothing to do because there's a lot to do.' Cudkowiczm said it's predicted by 2040 that the numbers of people with ALS worldwide will increase at least 40 percent, due to the aging population and environmental factors including plastics, bacteria in lakes, pesticides, being in the military and head trauma. She also spoke about a new breakthrough drug that has been showing improvements in clinical testing. Dane, who doesn't qualify for that trial per gene testing, is taking medication to slow down the symptoms and participating in a different research study. 'I will fly to Germany and eat the head off a rattlesnake if she told me that will help,' said Dane, with a smile, of being open to trying anything to combat the disease. The Ice Bucket Challenge that went viral starting in 2014 has raised $200 million for U.S. research. 'I'm pretty hopeful,' closed Dane. 'In my heart, I don't feel like this is the end of me.' — Jackie Strause contributed to this story. This story first posted on June 16 at 5:58 am PT and was updated on June 17 at 6:30 a.m. with Dane's Tuesday interview on GMA. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Most Anticipated Concert Tours of 2025: Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar & SZA, Sabrina Carpenter and More Hollywood's Most Notable Deaths of 2025 Hollywood's Highest-Profile Harris Endorsements: Taylor Swift, George Clooney, Bruce Springsteen and More