IN HER ALS SHOES: A Chat with Leah Stavenhagen
Listen in as I talk to Leah Stavenhagen, 28, about her ALS journey and the "In Her ALS Shoes" movement she created.
"I was an active 26-year-old so why did I feel like my feet couldn’t quite keep up? She couldn’t find my knee-jerk reflex and suggested that I visit a neurologist. Naively, I didn’t understand why I was being referred to a neurologist over a podiatrist. This quickly changed. I learned that I had ALS and a 2-5 year life expectancy." That is from my guest, Leah Stavenhagen. In this episode, hear Leah share what it was like learning she had ALS, how it changed her perspective on life and how she's empowering other young women. Leah, 28, is leading a movement called "In Her ALS Shoes" where women who were diagnosed with ALS under the age of 35 are teaming up to support each other and to raise awareness that ALS can affect anyone. Please consider supporting this movement by sharing this episode. If you were diagnosed under the age of 35, share your story at link. Detailing your ALS story will help other young women feel connected, relatable and less lonely. Thank you for listening and sharing with a friend.
Hugs, Lorri
I just read Leahs story and would like to email her. Is that possible? Debi Shelby Hamilton, Montana.
I am a former immunologist and I have an idea. Could you try an autologous bone marrow transplant? If you could find a physician, usually an oncologist, to do the procedure. As part of the procedure, you should have all of your white blood cells killed off completely, including the microglia cells causing your ALS. After a complete ablation of WBC, you could receive back your bone marrow and this “might” extend your life; good luck!