David Cabe was diagnosed with ALS in 2015 and is an active participant in the Austin Walk to Defeat ALS as part of his team, Cabe’d Crusaders. Read about what participating in the Walk means for him and his battle with ALS.
As many of you know, I have ALS. This is a devastating disease. By the time I was diagnosed, it had already robbed me of the ability to walk unaided and was relentlessly taking away the ability to use my hands, swallow, speak, and breathe. But just knowing where to turn after my diagnosis was almost as daunting and overwhelming as the disease itself.
Through a series of what seemed like random conversations, emails, and Internet searches, I was led down roads that all arrived at the same destination – the ALS Association. The ALS Association of Texas has been at our side ever since, continuing to help my wife and me fight this cruel disease. Without them, we wouldn’t have found a single contact pointing the way. Without them, we wouldn’t now be receiving integrated, multidisciplinary neurological and pulmonary care; physical, occupational, and speech therapy; counseling; insurance advice; and other essential services from the Emory Bellard ALS Clinic in Round Rock. Without them, we wouldn’t have free access to volunteers and costly equipment needed just to get us through the day. And without them, I might not even be alive at this moment.
Speaking not just for myself, but also for others like me in central Texas struggling with ALS, the annual Walk to Defeat ALS is a big deal. It’s easy to be discouraged with the prognosis of ALS, but just seeing hundreds of people in one place, pulling together to fight this disease is a great encouragement to me.
I did the walk for the first time last October as part of the Cabe Cru, and I’m pumped up to “roll” the course during this year’s walk as a proud member of the Cabe’d Crusaders. The ALS Association has supported me so much in just the one year since my diagnosis, and I want to give back in every way I can. I urge you to join me at Mueller Lake Park on October 15 or get involved in a Walk near you to provide encouragement and lend your support in the fight to conquer ALS.
To register for a Walk to Defeat ALS in Texas, click here.
