Created: 5/2/2008 10:49:38 AM 
Greensboro, NC -- A man with ALS is riding through Triad on a 20 day trip from Orlando to Washington, D.C.
The "Rolling Over ALS Tour" is Ken Patterson's way of raising awareness of the disease. ALS, also known as "Lou Gehrig's Disease," is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. That causes the brain to lose the ability to initiate and control muscle movement, according to the ALS Association.
Patterson was diagnosed in November 2006. He first started noticing problems with his wrist in 2005. He said he can't use his arms or fingers well. The disease also impacts his speech.
He is making his way along the tour on backroads. His wife, Glenda, follows in their van. They plan to arrive in Washington, D.C. in time for National ALSA Advocacy Day.
They said some people honk and curse at the couple as they make the trip at five miles an hour. Patterson said he hopes his pace will serve as a message to people he encounters.
"I used to be like that and when I got ALS, I realized that you got to slow down and enjoy life," he said.
The couple said there is not a known cause or a cure for the disease. Patterson takes a drug to treat ALS, but it costs $1,000 a month. The government helps cover Patterson's cost because he is an Army veteran.
To read Patterson's blog, click here.
For information on how to donate to Patterson's trip, click here.
WFMY News 2
