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This year, we are serving more Texans with ALS than ever before. This number has especially grown the past two years, and is a strong indicator of our connection with the ALS community here in Texas. But what does this number of people served actually mean?
The Prevalence of ALS in Texas
It’s estimated that 5 out of ever 100,000 people will be diagnosed with ALS. Looking at this statistic and the 2021 population of Texas of 29.98 million, this means that there is an estimated 1,495 Texans living with ALS. On October 31st, we had 1,131 patients registered which represents 73.57% of the estimated ALS population in Texas.
Over the past 3-5 years, we’ve increased the number of patients served and the percentage of the estimated ALS community we are serving. Our goal is to one day reach 100%, meaning, we are serving every person living with ALS across the state.
Next year, keeping in mind the population increase to 30.4 million, we estimate there will be 1,520 Texans living with ALS. And we plan to support as many of them as possible.
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How Does ALS Texas Get Connected to Texans with ALS?
Texans who have been diagnosed with ALS find us in a few different ways, but primarily:
- 63% get connected through ALS multidisciplinary clinics
- 21% find us through an internet search and/or the alstexas.org website
We’re exploring ways to raise more awareness of the disease and our organization in the medical community, especially in rural areas, so we can continue to connect with more Texans with ALS each year and support them as they navigate the disease.
Does “Serving More Texans with ALS” Mean the Cases of ALS Are Increasing?
As the population increases, we do expect to see a correlating increase in cases. However, outside of population growth, we have not seen a significant increase in the number of new cases of ALS; the fact is, more people with ALS are finding and connecting with ALS Texas for support, resources, and guidance throughout their battle with ALS. Here’s how that number has grown over the last decade:
How You Can Help
Our goal is to continue to serve more Texans with ALS than ever before with each passing year. This means we need more resources, more staff, and more programs to best support our growing community. You can make a big impact on the lives of Texans with ALS and their families by making a donation today.
Together, we can serve more Texans with ALS. Together, we can find a cure!
