Copyright 2003 The Baltimore Sun Company
All Rights Reserved
The Baltimore Sun
September 4, 2003 Thursday FINAL Edition
SECTION: LOCAL, Pg. 3B
LENGTH: 464 words
BYLINE: Andy Bridges
SOURCE: SUN STAFF

The Muscular Dystrophy Association has named Laurie Russell of Glyndon this year's winner of the Maryland Personal Achievement Award for her continuous efforts to raise awareness of Lou Gehrig's disease.

Russell, 57, has lived with the disease - amyotrophic lateral sclerosis - for three years. She has been active in the fight to find a cure since being diagnosed, participating in fund raising and "friend-raising," which involves informing people about the disease, and serving on the board at the Robert Packard Center for ALS Research at the Johns Hopkins University.

"It started as a foot drop," Russell said, speaking though a computer voice synthesizer and through her personal assistant, Kathy Grau, referring to a weakened foot that sent her to the doctor's office.

Russell is almost totally paralyzed.

ALS, which is associated with Gehrig, the New York Yankees Hall of Famer who died of the disease, gradually weakens the muscles and usually leads to complete paralysis, with a three- to five-year survival rate after diagnosis, according to the MDA's Web site.

"It's a cruel disease," Russell said, "but I've pledged to fight it. I need to help find a cure."

Russell has been a lifelong volunteer and fund-raiser, and when she received her diagnosis, she says she felt compelled to do something about it.

"The impressive achievements of Laurie Russell demonstrate the vital community contributions being made by people with neuromuscular diseases across the country," MDA President and Chief Executive Officer Robert Ross said. "We're gratified to honor her as Maryland's MDA Personal Achievement Award recipient for 2003."

When Russell heard the news about her award, she was throwing a party to thank friends who have helped her throughout the course of the disease.

"I was totally surprised and overwhelmed," she said.

Grau, her assistant, said, "When she heard about the award, she said, 'This wasn't a thank you for me, it was for my friends.'"

Of those friends, the ones who have been there the most are the "Laurettes," a group of 12 women who help Russell with meals, transportation and other daily tasks. Pam Corckran had been friends with Russell for 10 years when she became a Laurette.

"It's been life-changing," Corckran said, "to have a group of women come forward. ... It just creates a wonderful feeling of friendship and love."

In addition to helping Russell, the Laurettes have started a research fund in Russell's name at the Packard Center, where Russell received her treatments, which included medication and physical and speech therapy.

Russell's group held an event in her honor and raised $120,000 for the Packard Center. "But it's still not enough," Russell said, "We need $50 million to keep the research going."