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Friends for John Aspra

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Friends of John Aspra
It's be hard to believe that anything could take down our strapping friend John Aspra, but he was recently diagnosed with Brachial Amyotrophic Diplegia – a rare form of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) or Lou Gehrig’s disease.  For over a year, John’s been seeking a diagnosis for troubling symptoms.  Because there is no single diagnostic test for ALS, a definitive diagnosis can take many months.  John's doctors are continuing with tests and observation to refine his particular variant of ALS even further.  Motor neuron disease is not well understood, but unfortunately the progression is irreversible.  As of now, John is experiencing progression of the disease.  The accumulated medical costs have been devastating.

The bummer facts:
ALS is a progressive and terminal neurodegenerative disease affecting brain and spinal cord nerves and pathways.  In the case of Brachial Amyotrophic Diplegia, symptoms include muscle wasting and paralysis of the arms, and eventually difficulty speaking, swallowing and breathing.  The average life expectancy is three to five years from the time of diagnosis.  John has officially been declared disabled by his neurologists, and is facing such issues as managing current and ongoing rent payments, utilities, medical treatments not covered by insurance, co-pays, insurance deductibles, IVIG therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, home health assistance, and eventually assisted living.   It costs an estimated $200,000 a year to provide the care an ALS patient requires.

I’ve been lucky enough to call John my friend for far less time than a lot of you out there.  He beautifully and thoughtfully presided over my marriage.  He is an amazing and hardworking chef, from his taco bar behind O’Malley’s to the Rancheros and his brush with fame and other adventures as the Epicurean Cowboy!  His annual Fiesta Pequeña party has been a fun-loving and joyful 20 + year Santa Barbara tradition where John went out of his way to make everyone feel welcome.  To me, he is a supportive man willing to go out on a limb for anyone he considers a friend.   I know that John has gained a wide net of friends both near and far—his huge heart connects us all with his enthusiastic joie de vivre and benevolence. 

“We're not here for a long time, we're here for a good time!” J.A.

Our Opportunity:
We have an amazing opportunity to show John our love and support.  The funds raised will broaden his ability to pursue available treatments and maximize his quality of life with less financial strain.  It will give him the means to pay for ongoing medical and living expenses, skilled care, and the freedom to enjoy time with his devoted friends and family.  Let's come together and be a player in his journey so that John can carry on with the passion and zest for life that we all love and admire.

Support One, Support Many:
John is not alone.  Ultimately, consider your gift as paying it forward to other patients struggling with ALS.  While there is lack of sufficient funding and research for ALS in general, there is even less for John's variant of ALS.  Over time, each patient uniquely contributes to the growing database and pool of knowledge, helping to bring greater awareness and hope for effective treatments.  

ANY donation is appreciated.   
Thank you for your support and prayers
–  Michelle Ando

To learn more about ALS please visit: http://www.alsa.org/

Organizer and beneficiary

John Aspra
Organizer
Santa Barbara, CA
Michelle Ando
Beneficiary

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