I am Michele Stellato
living with ALS
New Jersey
I had just turned 32, bought a house with my husband and was ready to start a family when I learned I had ALS after experiencing stiffness and weakness in my right hand and muscle twitching.
I had just turned 32, bought a house with my husband and was ready to start a family when I learned I had ALS after experiencing stiffness and weakness in my right hand and muscle twitching.
Soon after my diagnosis, I jumped into advocacy to raise awareness and funds for research and new treatments for ALS. As an athlete, I have the spirit to fight and my background in communications helps me get the word out about ALS.
Being a young woman with ALS introduces even more complexities to an already complex disease. I’m determined to keep living my life and accomplishing my dreams despite my diagnosis and help change the face of ALS for good.
ALS has made me appreciate the simple things in life more and taught me how you react to your situation is everything. Not having effective treatments is frustrating, but I know that my positive outlook can have a powerful impact on my outcome. So I try to spend as much time enjoying every moment life brings as much as I’m fighting for better treatments for ALS. It’s all about balance!
