Everyone had heard of Lou Gehrig's disease. But not everyone knew what Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis was, or exactly how it devastated over 30,000 Americans a year, including more than 1,200 in our home state of Florida. The Florida Chapter of the ALS Association asked us to help raise awareness (and donations) so that more people would understand how ALS ravages its victims.
ALS affects the motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord. When the neurons die, the muscles waste away. Gradually, a person is robbed of the ability to walk, speak, eat, and eventually breathe while the mind remains sharp and aware of the total paralysis that is quickly setting in. It was clear to us that Lou Gehrig's disease is stealing our loved ones piece by piece. This became the driving force behind a multimedia campaign that included the Piece by Piece Tribute, a traveling memorial that started in Florida and has since traveled to cities such as Chicago and Washington D.C.
Launched in January '09, the Piece by Piece campaign has increased donations four-fold and awareness in Florida is at an all-time high. Dunn&Co. continues to support the ALS Association with even more nationally recognized work, such as our campaign to promote the annual Ride to Defeat ALS.
