ALS: Lou Gehrig's Disease The ALS Association encourages scientific research to find a cure for ALS, heightens awareness of the nature of the disease, stimulates volunteerism and activism, and increases awareness of government leaders to encourage support of research and patient care. Lou Gehrig used to visit me in my dreams. Long-time New York Yankee star, first baseman Lou Gehrig battles ALS with the help of his wife, and of his teammate, catcher Bill Dickey. T hursday marks 75 years from the June 2, 1941, death of Lou Gehrig, the great Yankees baseball player who was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a … Researchers from Northwestern University are reporting a major breakthrough in understanding the cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the fatal disease also known as Lou Gehrig… Directed by Allen Reisner. Lou Gehrig® used with permission of … He is also known to non-sports enthusiasts because of his tragic early death fromALS. Currently, at the time ALS is diagnosed, individuals have already suffered significant, irreversible damage to motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord. Lou Gehrig was an American hero because of his skill and performance on the baseball field. With Wendell Corey, Jean Hagen, Harry Carey Jr., James Gregory. Biographers learn, ... ©2020 All content and works posted on this website are owned and copyrighted by The ALS Association. Gehrig's was known for his consecutive game streak of 2,130 games. ... No one can tell another person’s life story and get it entirely right. Some also use the term motor neuron disease for a group of conditions of which ALS is the most common. Research taking place at Washington University’s School of Medicine is giving hope to those affected by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Lou Gehrig's Story. The disease cuts short Gehrig's great baseball career, and kills "The Iron Horse" within a few years. By closely following the relatives of some individuals with ALS, researchers at Columbia’s Eleanor and Lou Gehrig ALS Center hope to find ways to detect the disease before symptoms arise, allowing for early therapeutic intervention. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as motor neurone disease (MND) or Lou Gehrig's disease, is a disease that causes the death of neurons controlling voluntary muscles.