Massachusetts

“Rally for Nally”: The fight against ALS

Cathy Nally has always been a force of nature, long before she was diagnosed with ALS back in October of 2020.

“Cathy is my sister and best friend”, says her brother Ed Hurley. " But she is also my hero and continues to amaze and inspire me with her courage, her passion, and her positive outlook”.

Twenty years ago, Cathy lost her husband unexpectedly and raised her two kids (Danny and Betsy) by herself. The Nally’s are now expecting their first grandchild next month

On Saturday, January 8, Cathy’s family and friends put on a “polar plunge” at Carson Beach in Boston called the “Rally for Nally”.

As of right now, the family has raised nearly $200,000. If you would like to donate to their cause, just click on that link.

The purpose of “Rally for Nally” is to raise awareness for ALS, raise funds for Cathy’s future care and celebrate her courage and commitment to helping others.

Another big part of this story is the ongoing advocacy that Cathy has taken on for the fight against ALS. In December, the ACT for ALS was passed by the House and Senate and signed into law by President Biden.

Cathy was a leading advocate with several key members of Congress to help push The ACT for ALS -stalled in Congress the last couple of years- over the finish line. It will increase the access for treatment and access to drugs that are still in trial and also will provide $100 million annually for the next 5 years to support investments with ALS therapies and research.

Here is a video that was produced by MediaSurge.com to increase awareness regarding ALS and the challenges of accessing the trial drugs.

Please consider helping Cathy and the “Rally for Nally”.