Meet the 2008 ALS Riders
Jack Elwood, PALS
This will be my fifth trip on what I fondly refer to as the fellowship of the ride, for that is truly what it is. We share more than our common goal of a cure or effective treatment for ALS. We also share our humanity through our own stories, trying to put a face on this terrible disease.
This year, I will be joined on the ride by my wife Laura and my daughter Tricia.
The disease continues to attack my body but not my spirit. i'm taking one day at a time, continuing to live my life. As Chris is fond of saying I'm living with als not dying from it. I look forward to seeing all my pals and will miss those who will no longer be with us.
Love to all,
Jack Elwood, A.K.A."The Jersey Guy"
Norma Steck Hess, PALS, Ride for Life Board Member & Research Committee Chair
I was diagnosed in 1999. I was a registered nurse for 30+ years working for the majority of the time in critical care areas. I'm married with two children and 3 grandchildren.
This is my fifth year on the Ride & each year gets better. Joining Ride For Life has afforded me the opportunity to meet some of the most incredible, dynamic, caring, determined and devoted people in the fight to cure ALS. The wonderful PALS,CALS, family, friends, students, volunteers and walkers make each day of the Ride special and memorable. They provide me with renewed strength to fight ALS and bring hope to finding a cure. It''s an event that truly enriches your life and puts it back in perspective.
Fern Cohen
Fern Cohen was diagnosed with ALS in January, 2004. This year will be Fern's 3rd Ride. Before ALS, Fern was a foreign language and ESL teacher at a public high school in East Harlem. Before becoming a teacher, Fern had a 20-year career in the tourism and airline industry. She got her BA from SUNY Stony Brook, and an MS in Tourism and Travel Management from NYU.
Check out her website:
http://www.ferncohen.com
and her blogs:
http://fernals.blogspot.com
http://ferncohen.blogspot.com
Herb Ingham
dx 1/2000 bulbar ALS
Has Ventilator
Immobile and unable to communicate
Herb grew up on Long Island and raised his family in Northport. He attended Rensselaer and then earned a PhD in Physics from Carnegie Mellon. While Director of Research at Metco, a company specializing in flame spray equipment and materials, he attended Hofstra University and became a practicing patent attorney.
From his junior high school days until ALS, Herb was an avid racing and cruising sailor. Sailing, skiing, canoeing and backpacking were things he loved to do with his family.
Herb still enjoys the outdoors, particularly excursions to Northport Village Park.
We will continue to add additional profiles as the Ride approaches.
