Join Us
Since 2009, the YFALS Ambassadors have been sharing our stories
to bring much needed awareness to ALS and ALS research at the
ALS Therapy Development Institute (ALS TDI).
Who We Are
The Young Faces of ALS is a group of people whose lives have been impacted by ALS. We are people with ALS,
children, friends, and caregivers. We are uniting to share our stories, promote awareness of ALS, and
emphasize the need to support ALS research at ALS TDI. We will work together to spread awareness until
there are treatments for everyone with ALS.
YFALS' Impact on ALS Research
Since founding the Corntoss Challenge in 2011, the Young Faces of ALS have raised over
$2 million for research at ALS TDI. Made up of both young people living with ALS and
people whose lives were impacted by ALS at a young age, they have served as tireless
advocates in the ALS community and have continually helped push research forward. Wish
your help, we can keep going!
You can read more about the YFALS Ambassadors here.
YFALS and ALS TDI
YFALS supports the ALS Therapy Development Institute (ALS TDI),
the first and largest nonprofit biotech, dedicated to ALS research. ALS TDI was founded in 1999 by Jamie Heywood after his brother,
Stephen Heywood, was diagnosed with ALS at age 29. After finding no treatment options for his brother, Jamie realized that a gap existed
in the preclinical development of therapies for ALS. Jamie founded ALS TDI in the basement of his family's Newton, MA home in an effort
to bridge this gap and bring effective treatments to people with ALS as quickly as possible. Although Stephen is no longer with us,
ALS TDI continues to fight for young people with ALS today.
“My family and I learned about ALS TDI shortly after my diagnosis in 2007. I was just 21 years old. I feel
as passionate about ALS TDI now as I did over 12 years ago. In a disease that can feel so hopeless, fundraising
for ALS TDI has given me and my family a way to fight back.”
- Corey Reich, living with ALS since 2007
“ALS TDI is the first nonprofit in history, and in any disease, to bring a potential treatment from its own
lab through FDA review and into clinical trial. I will continue supporting ALS TDI's expanding pipeline of potential
treatments knowing now that with their scientists and our support, dreams can become reality.”
- Andrea Peet, living with ALS since 2014
