YFALS' Impact on ALS Research
In 2011, the Young Faces of ALS founded the Corntoss Challenge and since then,
the Young Faces of ALS have raised over $2 million for research at ALS TDI. Along with fundraising the YFALS Ambassadors, both people
living with ALS and people whose lives were impacted by ALS at a young age, are huge advocates in the ALS community. You can read more
about the YFALS Ambassadors here.
YFALS and ALS TDI
YFALS supports ALS TDI, which 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.
Ambassador Spotlight
Osiel Mendoza
Osiel was diagnosed with ALS in October 2016 at age 21. In 2017, he created a video and campaign called #YolkUp4ALS, which raised funds for ALS TDI. To learn more about Osiel, check out his profile.
ALS Therapy Development Institute
The ALS Therapy Development Institute (ALS TDI) and
its researchers discover and develop potential treatments for ALS. It is the world's first and largest nonprofit biotech focused
100 percent on ALS research. Led by drug development experts and people with ALS, ALS TDI understands the urgent need to slow
and stop this disease.
Based in Cambridge, MA, ALS TDI has more than 30 full-time, industry trained, drug development experts on staff. ALS TDI is
internationally recognized as a leader in preclinical and translational ALS research, and partners with pharmaceutical companies and
biotechs around the world. Rated a four-star nonprofit on Charity Navigator, ALS TDI spends 87 cents of every dollar raised on finding
effective treatments and cures for ALS. Learn more at www.als.net.
