Tiffany Macias, left, speaks with others like David Simpson, an MSU clinical professor, to honor a Lou Gehrig’s disease and Muscular Dystrophy Association clinic Monday afternoon in the MSU Clinical Center. Macias, who was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease last year, explained that the staff of the clinic is “very focused on giving the best care possible.”
When Tiffany Macias was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, one year ago, the loss of movement in her mouth muscles impaired her speech.
But the effects that ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, have had on Macias’ speaking abilities couldn’t keep her from talking about the importance of treatment and support from the MSU Clinical Center.
The center received a designation as an MDA/ALS center by the Muscular Dystrophy Association on Monday.
“I’m very happy and fortunate to be a part of this clinic,” said Macias, an East Lansing resident. “They are a wonderful staff here, very caring and accommodating and very focused on giving the best care.”
ALS is a disease that affects nerves in the brain and spinal cord, often leading to paralysis. About 30,000 Americans live with ALS and as many as 5,600 are diagnosed each year.
The MSU MDA/ALS Center, which includes the Clinical Center on Service Road and Saint Mary’s Health Care in Grand Rapids, is the first in Michigan and 38th nationally to be recognized by the MDA.
“I think it’s going to be wonderful for the college and the community, especially for the ALS population here,” said Maggie Segal, health care service coordinator for the MDA.
Dr. Andrea Amalfitano, a microbiology and molecular genetics professor, works toward new treatments of ALS that can be utilized at the center.
Amalfitano said that seeing an ALS patient like Macias that is helped by the MSU Clinical Center made the designation special.
“Sometimes you get wrapped up in laboratory day-to-day activities and are removed from patients,” Amalfitano said.
“Coming here and hearing how this impacts a patient directly kind of makes you want to get back in the lab real fast.”
Dr. Arshad Majid, an associate professor of neurology, and other researchers are working to develop compounds that may be useful in treating ALS.
“Eventually, we have to translate this basic research into clinical treatments,” Majid said.
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
