The Lane Idema Fight Against ALS

My name is Shauna, and as a dear friend to Lane and wife Deb, I have had the privilege of being there from the very beginning of their  love story.  Deb and I have grown together in our careers as nurses.  We have watched one another marry, and have children.  The selfless nature by which Deb and Lane live their lives has inspired me to do anything and everything I can to help during their time of need.  A time in which they will never ask for the help themselves.

In August, 2018 our beloved friend Lane and his family received the devastating, and life shattering news that Lane has Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).   ALS robs its victims of the ability to walk, dress themselves, talk, swallow, and ultimately breathe.  ALS has no cure and no effective treatment.

While each individual experience with ALS is different, and Lane is unquestionably a fighter, the average lifespan from diagnosis can be as short as three to five years.

Unfortunately, Lane is getting very close to the point that he will no longer be able to work, making the coverage of the costs for the fight, and the ability to support his family a near impossibility.

On this journey,  Lane and family will face extraordinary medical and incidental expenses. Medical costs alone can range anywhere from $200,000-$300,000 each year.   These expenditures can include ventilation, feeding tubes, in-home care, and possibly long-term clinical trials.  Additionally, they are facing incidental expenses such as home renovations allowing accessibility for a wheelchair, lifts, and possibly the need for specialized transportation.  Costs that insurance simply does not cover.

Lane is an avid outdoors man.  He enjoys hunting and fishing, and is a huge fan of the University of Michigan (Go Blue!).  But for all of the joy he gets from his personal passions, nothing compares to the love he has for his family, son Seth, step-children Aubrie, Trever, Logan, Mackenzie, Kalen and his 6-year old daughter Brooklyn. 

When dealt a blow such as this, the time should be spent focused on family, friends, and the love that you have for all that life has provided.  It should not be spent on how the next bill will be paid.  If ever there was an individual, and a family that deserved to have the "luxury" of focusing on the joys of life, it is this man, and this family.

Thank you for your gracious giving.