ALS is not just a diagnosis—it’s a conscious unraveling of life. Patients remain mentally alert while their bodies decline, fully aware of every loss. Most are told there’s nothing that can be done. But that isn’t true anymore.

Today, ALS patients are seeing slowed progression, extended survival, and even partial and full reversals.

These successes are not coming from decades-old pharmaceuticals.

They are coming from real people using high-dose nutrition, cannabinoid medicine, mitochondrial support, gut-immune therapies, and holistic care models that work.

But these patients must pay for it all out of pocket—while still struggling to cover basic rent, food, and survival costs.

They are forced to crowdfund their lives.

There are thousands of ALS fundraisers on platforms like GoFundMe right now—desperate appeals to cover wheelchairs, caregivers, rent, supplements, even hospital bills.

No American should have to beg to live.

This is not only a moral failure. It’s a systemic failure—and a constitutional one.

We demand the U.S. government—Congress, CMS, HHS, NIH, and the VA—to act now:

• Provide immediate, unconditional supplemental funding of $4,000 per month to every ALS patient in America. This is not a luxury. It is the minimum needed to cover basic survival, essential therapies, caregiving, and medical equipment.

• Expand insurance and VA coverage to include scientifically-supported, integrative, and alternative therapies. It is medically negligent to deny access to the very therapies helping patients survive and heal.

• Honor the rights of veterans living with ALS. Our veterans deserve more than a wheelchair and a waiting list. They deserve access to the same real, life-extending therapies that civilians are fighting for.

• Uphold the Constitutional right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The 14th Amendment guarantees equal protection under the law. Denying ALS patients meaningful access to survival tools violates this core American promise.

Protect These Americans.

Now.

At a time when so many politicians talk about protecting Americans, it’s time to look directly at those who need protection most: the Americans living with ALS.

They are not invisible.

They are not helpless.

They are fighting.

And they deserve every tool, every chance, and every ounce of dignity our nation can offer.

ALS patients deserve more than a timeline.

They deserve a toolkit.

They deserve a fighting chance.

They deserve the freedom to live.

This is not about asking for miracles.

It’s about funding what already works—and keeping the American promise alive for every person battling ALS today.

We urge you—veterans, families, caregivers, taxpayers, and lawmakers—to stand with us.

Demand life.

Demand dignity.

Demand change.

Signed,

Hiedi Handford

Founder,

ALS Comfort Network

On behalf of ALS Patients, Veterans & Families Nationwide

A Note to Everyone Who Did the Ice Bucket Challenge…

Remember that moment? The ice water, the viral videos, the shared laughs in the name of a good cause?

That movement raised millions—for research. And we’re grateful for every step toward a cure.

But here’s the truth: that money didn’t go to the people living with ALS right now. It went to the long, slow scientific model that may someday help—but not today.

The people living with ALS today don’t have time to wait.

They need help now. They need access to therapies that are already working—slowing symptoms, restoring function, extending lives. And they need the financial freedom to afford those options without having to beg or go bankrupt trying.

If you ever poured ice water over your head in solidarity—this is your moment to take it one step further.

Because awareness isn’t enough anymore.

Action is what saves lives.

Act NOW. Sign and share. American lives depend on it. 

To every veterans organization fighting for the rights of those who served:

ALS has taken too many of your members far too soon. It is time to stand up and demand not only better care—but real funding for the therapies and tools that are already extending life. We are calling on your organizations to stand with us and push for $4,000/month in direct supplemental support for veterans and civilians alike.

No more delays. No more silence. Join us.