Created in 2009 by people living with ALS who received their diagnosis before their 35th birthdays, the Young Faces of ALS (YFALS) campaign is the first community for young people afflicted by ALS, as well as their families and friends.
Created in 2009 by people living with ALS who received their diagnosis before their 35th birthdays, the Young Faces of ALS (YFALS) campaign is the first community for young people afflicted by ALS, as well as their families and friends.
Created by people living with ALS who were diagnosed before their 35th birthdays, the Young Faces of ALS (YFALS) is the first community for young people afflicted by ALS, as well as their families and friends. The purpose of the program is to create an engaging online community of young people committed to raising awareness of ALS and funds for ALS research at the ALS Therapy Development Institute. In 2011, they founded the Corntoss Challenge. Since then, the Young Face of ALS have raised over $1.75 million for ALS TDI.
The Young Faces of ALS have been vital in establishing the nationwide YFALS Corntoss Challenge, the MLB© 4ALS Awareness Campaign, and promoting the Ales for ALS program. The YFALS community has also been an online catalyst for the #ALSIceBucketChallenge and #ALSPepperChallenge. YFALS ambassadors have appeared on The Ellen Show, been highlighted by VICE, and have written for The New York Times.
The ALS Therapy Development Institute (ALS TDI) and its scientists actively discover and develop treatments for ALS. ALS TDI is the world's first and largest nonprofit biotech focused 100 percent on ALS research. Led by people with ALS and drug development experts, it understands the urgent need to slow and stop this disease.
ALS TDI was founded in 1999 by James Heywood in the basement of his family's New England home after his brother Stephen Heywood was diagnosed with ALS at age 29 – our first Young Face of ALS. Although Stephen is no longer with us, ALS TDI continues his family's mission in the hope of bringing effective treatments to people living with ALS as soon as possible.
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.