For Love & Life: No Ordinary Campaign Spotlight Tenacity in Fight for ALS

Remember the ice bucket challenge?  This intense viral moment kicked off in the summer of 2014 by three young men living with ALS, Anthony Senerchia, Pete Frates, and Pat Quinn.  The seemingly simple global phenomenon changed the fight against ALS raising 100 million dollars and then it flatlined…until now.

Brian Wallach,  a former prosecutor in the prime of his life and career, was diagnosed at the age of 37 and given six months to live.  Quickly realizing he and his family could not count on Washington – he and his brilliant wife Sandra Abrevaya spearheaded a patient centered movement for an illness that had been lurking in the shadows of  our legislative process.

For Love & Life: No Ordinary Campaign is an emotionally gripping documentary.  It not only illustrates the power of love and determination in the face of adversity, but simultaneously exemplifies bravery and hope in a fight to the finish against a broken system for their own future while building a brighter one for countless others.

What exactly is ALS?  Known as Lou Gehrig disease, it causes a progressive weakening of neuro and muscular motor skills that rapidly deteriorate the body resulting in zero chance of surviving.  This disease causes its patients to turn inward while contemplating their mortality, yet consistently searching for methods to blow the lid off of Washington imploring them to do more than offer lip service.  If we are somehow able to untangle the causes of ALS, those possibilities could also aid in the discovery of a cure for other neuro related illnesses like Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, Cerebral Pals, Muscular Dystrophy and so many more.

Beyond inspiring, this duo’s  sheer existence is a constant reminder to never take our lives for granted nor be complacent when one can always fight, which is single-handedly the beauty of living in a country with free speech.  They have turned poison into medicine while making their pain a purpose.  Nothing speaks louder to that than their victory of having ACT ALS legislation passed to remove disability insurance barriers for ALS patients.

These paraphrased words from Wallach echoed through my consciousness at the end of this powerful and poignant journey, ” We all live a life leaving behind us ripples to change the world. We have to deal with the cards we are dealt while figuring out the best and possible way to play your hand.

Produced by legendary journalist Katie Couric and directed by Chris Burke, this doc zooms in on the tenacity of a dynamic duo who with five years of dogmatic persistence resulting in an increase of one billion dollars of federal funding for ALS and an FDA approved first time treatment for a genetic drug.  Wouldn’t the world be a better place with more people like them navigating the globe?

But, what is most impressive is how they take the focus off of themselves bringing in and sharing the stories of other families and patients who all want the same thing – to have the ability and freedom to continue navigating a life that deserves to be well lived.

For Love. and Life has changed me forever and will change audiences one determined heart at a time.