Look Who it Was Random video

The Cold Hard Facts About ALS

4,104 views · Published 14 September 2014 · 1:56 · Indexed 6 November 2026

Channel: Lee Health · 2014 · Science & Technology

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It is splashed across social media…

The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge: people nominating or challenging each other to take plunge or donate to an ALS cause.

The cause itself hits close to home in Southwest Florida. In partnership with Lee Memorial Health System, this specialized ALS clinic is a destination for patients from a 10 county area.

“In the absence of a clinic like this patients would have to go and travel to the different therapeutic services - a physical therapist, occupational therapist, speech therapist, respiratory therapist, dietician. So what we do with the clinic is we put all of the services together in one room,” says Dr. Nima Mowzoon, who is a neurologist on medical staff of Lee Memorial Health System. 

As the disease advances, patients require more care. ALS is a devastating disease which damages nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord leading to progressive weakness.

“It usually starts out as a painless weakness and people don’t have any numbness or tingling or anything that bothers them. That weakness is usually present for a period of time before patients come to the doctors,” says Dr. Mowzoon. 

Seventy-five years ago this summer Lou Gehrig famously announced he had the disease. With no cure yet, new research shows focusing on certain aspects of care, extends life.

“We’re very careful about weight loss and respiratory involvement, says Dr. Mowzoon. 

As for the ice bucket challenge- a gimmick sure- but it’s raising awareness by sharing the cold, hard truth about ALS. 

“It’s mind-boggling how some of these patients are so proactive in fighting this disease and supporting their research. These are very good people, very smart people. They get very disabling disease,” says Dr. Mowzoon. 

Spreading the word via the bucket list may lead to long-awaited change. 

View More Health Matters video segments at leememorial.org/healthmatters/

Lee Memorial Health System in Fort Myers, FL is the largest network of medical care facilities in Southwest Florida and is highly respected for its expertise, innovation and quality of care. For nearly a century, we’ve been providing our community with everything from primary care treatment to highly specialized care services and robotic assisted surgeries.

Visit leememorial.org

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