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VIEW ITEMSCLICK HERE to go to the 2024 Hope Through Caring Gala website.
The 35th annual Hope Through Caring Gala a huge success! With over 400 guests in attendance, it was an evening full of warmth, laughter, a few tears, and many memorable moments.
Over $600,000 was raised toward care and support for people living with ALS, their caregivers and families, as well as research into the causes, treatment and cures for the disease.
Donations are still being accepted for the Gala and many companies match employee donations. Check with your Human Resources department to see if your company is one of them.
To watch the evening's program, please click one of the links below:
Full program: https://youtu.be/HJoT14Xm5z4
First Bank Chicago: https://youtu.be/kXC6ADnUOwA
Brian Wallach, JD & Sandra Abrevaya, JD: https://youtu.be/nibMyvt2DqE
To view pictures from the night, please click below:
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Support our mission to provide the most comprehensive care and support to people living with ALS and their families so they can confidently navigate the disease, and advance scientific research for the prevention, treatment, and cure of ALS
No act of generosity is too small to make a difference.
In person tickets and virtual tickets are SOLD OUT.
This year, as for the past 34 years, the Les Turner ALS Foundation will bring together Chicago's top minds in ALS research and care, business, academics, philanthropy, and most importantly, people living with ALS, for one of the city's most elegant and most prestigious black-tie optional events of the year: the 35th Annual Hope Through Caring Gala, at the Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel on Saturday, February 18, 2023. There will also be a virtual option available with a link to view the program.
Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel, 221 N Columbus Drive, Chicago
6:00 PM | Cocktail Reception
7:30 PM | Dinner, Program, Fund the Need and Live Auction
9:30 PM | Dancing
11:00 PM | Event Concludes
Black tie optional
Guests are encouraged to "Wear a Touch of Blue"
Valet and garage parking available at the hotel
As part of our commitment to health and safety, Hope Though Caring Gala attendees must provide proof of Covid vaccines in order to participate in this event (either Pfizer - 2 vaccines, Moderna - 2 vaccines or Johnson & Johnson - 1 vaccine). Boosters not required. Proof is the physical Covid vaccination card or a copy on the phone. A negative Covid test is NOT accepted in lieu of proof of vaccination. Masks are encouraged but not required.
For questions or more information, please contact Kim Kempf at 847-745-6024 or [email protected].
Hope Through Caring Award Honoree
As one of the top five privately held banks in Chicagoland, First Bank Chicago has been focused on the community and meeting the needs of their neighbors for over 65 years. They have developed a bank-wide culture of caring by giving their time, talent, and resources as well as financial education and charitable contributions.
With 22 years of uninterrupted support, First Bank Chicago has provided critical funding of the Foundation's need-based grant programs for people living with ALS and their families, specifically, the Dan Nelson ALS Respite Fund and the Walter Boughton Foundation Support Services Grant Program.
First Bank Chicago has been instrumental in enhancing the quality of life for people with ALS and their families, especially those in financial need.
Harvey and Bonny Gaffen Advancements in ALS Award Honorees
Brian Wallach, JD
Sandra Abrevaya, JD
ALS Advocates
Brian Wallach and Sandra Abrevaya have been among the driving forces behind many of the most important developments in ALS advocacy. They played a major public role in demanding action from the FDA for approval of AMX0035 (Relyvrio), which created new momentum for other ALS treatments in the pipeline. Drawing on his experience in the White House, Brian helped write and secure sponsors for the Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act, or ACT for ALS, which provides significant funding for ALS research and expanded access to promising investigational treatments for people living with ALS. President Biden signed the ACT for ALS into law on Dec. 23, 2021.
The fight against ALS is personal for their family. Brian was diagnosed with ALS in 2017, at the age of 37. In addition to her role as wife and mom, Sandra is also a caregiver for Brian. Bringing together their relentless commitment to advancements in ALS and their accomplished careers in law, government and public service, they co-founded I AM ALS, a nonprofit that mobilizes and empowers people living with ALS, as chronicled in the recent award-winning documentary No Ordinary Campaign. For these achievements and more, Brian and Sandra are two of the most innovative and impactful advocates in the ALS community today.
About the Les Turner ALS Foundation
Founded in 1977, the Les Turner ALS Foundation is Chicagoland's leader in comprehensive ALS care and one of the longest-serving ALS groups in the country.
Throughout our history, we have taken an individualized approach to ensure each person living with the disease receives the best quality of care and access to the most promising therapies. We treat each person like family, supporting them every step of the way, and provide their loved ones with answers and encouragement.
Our Les Turner ALS Center at Northwestern Medicine is led by the most well-respected and successful clinicians and researchers in the field, advancing vital care and research in pursuit of life-enhancing treatments and a cure.
About ALS
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a terminal, progressive disease that causes muscle weakness, difficulty speaking and swallowing and, generally, complete paralysis. ALS can, in some cases, also cause changes in intellectual function, mood, behavior or personality. While technically considered a "rare disease," experts predict an individual's lifetime risk of acquiring ALS is about 1 in 300, by the age of 85. There is no cure, yet.
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