Join Trish's #DareToDreamTeam fighting ALS!!

Dear friends, family, and supporters-

In April 2024, our dear friend Trish (Placke) Kennard was diagnosed with ALS (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, at the age of 51. ALS is a progressive neurological disorder that affects the nerve cells responsible for controlling voluntary muscle movement. These nerve cells, called motor neurons, gradually degenerate and die, leading to muscle weakness, twitching, and eventually paralysis. Trish suffers from the rare “Familial” ALS (FALS), which affects only 10% of the ALS population and was inherited from her biological father, who has since passed from the disease. Unfortunately, there is no cure for ALS and treatment focuses on managing symptoms, improving quality of life, and providing support to affected individuals and their families.

ALS has swiftly impacted Trish’s life. In the summer of 2023, she began to have trouble lifting her left arm. Doctors explored possible causes of the weakness, including performing a cervical spinal fusion in the hopes that a pinched nerve was the cause of the loss of function. The surgery did not relieve symptoms, and in the meantime she also started losing stability in her left leg. The left leg weakness progressed quickly and became a fall hazard requiring the assistance of a walker/wheelchair. Testing continued with a team from Ohio State exploring all diagnostic possibilities for Trish's loss of left side function; everything else was ruled out and the medical team gave her an official diagnosis of ALS on April 25, 2024.

On a positive note, doctors have confirmed that Trish has the mutated SOD1 gene for which a recently approved drug called Qalsody is showing signs of slowing the onset of symptoms by targeting the mutated SOD1 gene. Trish’s Qalsody infusions begin in June 2024 and we are hopeful this therapy will slow her left-side degeneration and preserve Trish’s right-side mobility and quality of life.

Trish is in the process of qualifying for disability resources; however, the average out-of-pocket costs not covered by insurance are $125,000-$200,000 a year to live with ALS. As a result, we are launching a GoFundMe campaign on behalf of Trish and her family including her kids and Donnie, her partner of 10 years, to help with her daily care. She and Donnie will need to travel to OSU more frequently for infusions and appointments with her team at OSU, which will require time away from their respective careers. Also, impending needs include:

• Purchase of a wheelchair-accessible van

• Purchase of a custom fitted motorized wheelchair and shower/bed lifts

• Modifying the home through demolition of walls to accommodate the wheelchair and other lifts/equipment

Trish’s spirits are high but it may take her some time to respond if folks reach out, as she is working through overwhelming thoughts and emotions and is taking it one day at a time. Allowing us to post this GoFundMe on her behalf is a huge step for her.

Trish is a 1991 graduate of Carroll High School, earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Cincinnati, and has dedicated many years to the healthcare industry as a long-time employee of Premier Health. All who know Trish are aware that she is an amazing person - a friend to all with a constant smile and infectious laugh, fiercely dedicated to her three kids and anyone she considers a friend. Every donation regardless of size, helps us to ease her ALS burden and provide her with the resources she needs to live life to the fullest, despite this formidable challenge.

We are deeply grateful for your prayers and appreciate any donations to help Trish with her fight! We will provide updates here on the GoFundMe campaign regarding her progress and how donation money is being utilized for her care. Thank you all and God Bless you!

-Amy (Hinders) Gearing, Christie (Hargrove) Frederick, Shannon (Lewis) Barhorst, Serena (Parrish) Thompson, Jen (Reed) England, and Cathy (Honious) Meade