The Story of Martin Wallem
Written by his wife- Cara

Dear Friends,
It is with great excitement that I write this letter as we anticipate our August visit to Virginia and the SEVENTH Annual Martin Wallem ALS Golf Tournament. An event of this magnitude is only made possible by the tremendous support and participation from people like you. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's Disease) affects nearly 300,000 people worldwide. There is no known cause or cure. ALS is a fatal neuromuscular disorder that causes all of the body's muscles to deteriorate to the point of complete paralysis including the ability to breathe, swallow, talk and walk. The mind remains unaffected.

My husband Martin has been battling ALS for 9 years now. He is in the twentieth percentile for life expectancy beyond 5 years. In truth he is beating the odds. We know for certain the secret of Martin's survival is due to two things. First, being lucky enough to remain at home with family instead of a facility and the second is Martin's ability to live richly in the face of loss.

Your generosity is helping Martin to remain at home and to survive. The money raised provides much needed financial assistance to care for Martin. While insurance does cover many expenses, it does not cover all. There are many gaps that are left for the patient to fill, a near impossible task. The estimated cost to care for a vent patent in the home exceeds $275,000 per year. In addition to helping Martin, a portion of the proceeds goes directly to the Northern New England ALS Chapter which provides support to local families who are living with the devastating effects of Lou Gehrig's Disease.

For those of you that know Martin, I am very happy to report that health wise he had an uneventful year-something we are most grateful for. He continues to accomplish many feats most would believe impossible. He went deep sea fishing off the coast of Maine with family and friends, was loaded by fork lift into a pick-up truck and driven into the woods to hunt and once again this past winter Martin took to the slopes. This time in a race. Fellow adaptive participants and spectators were in awe as Martin sped through the gates driven by his fearless coach. Ventilator, power supply and Martin were strapped tightly into a very unique skiing apparatus. Each day Martin continues to amaze me and those around him. Amidst his cruel, challenging illness, Martin has taken life, removed the excess and revealed the precious lessons and gifts that have always been there. He challenges us to see the extraordinary in the ordinary and to live each day to the fullest.

I want to thank you for your tremendous support in helping Martin to continue on his journey and to remain at home surrounded by love and life. Martin and I are truly looking forward to reconnecting with our Southern friends in August.

Sincerely Yours,
Cara Tracy Wallem