December 2024, Clearwater, FLA- The Sean M. Healey & AMG Center for ALS at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) awarded the annual 2023 Gupta Family Endowed Prize for Innovation in ALS Care to both ALS ONE and Compassionate   ALS (CCALS). The prize was presented to the teams during the 22nd Annual Northeast ALS Consortium (NEALS) Meeting in Clearwater Beach, FL by Dr. Merit Cudkowicz, Director of the Healey & AMG Center for the Gupta family.

The selection committee agreed ALS ONE and CCALS are the most deserving recipients of the 2023 award for their joint efforts in innovation and dedication to improving lives of people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in their homes. ALS ONE and CCALS also demonstrate excellence in their partnership and serve as a model for how foundations can work together to make a significant impact.

ALS ONE consists of world-renowned clinicians and researchers who work to expedite treatments and ultimately find a cure for ALS while improving the care now for those living with the disease. ALS ONE links innovative researchers, medical providers, and care resources to drive key studies forward and initiate efforts, such as transportation studies, that fall outside of medicine. The critical data that is collected by ALS ONE is pivotal in the innovation of treatments for people with ALS (PALS).

Jennifer DiMartino, ALS ONE’s Executive Director was overjoyed to receive this news.  “We are profoundly honored to be one of the two recipients of the 2023 Gupta Family Endowed Prized for Innovation in ALS care.  ALS ONE was established in 2016 with the primary objective of bringing together ALS researchers, clinicians, and care providers to not only streamline the advancement of critical ALS research but to also work collaboratively to enhance the quality of life for individuals currently battling this disease and we are so humbled and proud of the work we do to help ALS families” she said.  “By working together, we ensure that ALS families receive the essential equipment and resources needed to navigate the complexities of the disease and this award means the world to us.  We are deeply grateful to receive this prize alongside CCALS, an organization with which we collaborate daily towards our shared objective and are certain that our founder, Kevin Gosnell, who tragically lost his life to ALS in 2016, would feel immeasurable pride in witnessing our unwavering dedication to expanding access to care and enhancing the quality of life for everyone affected by that relentless disease.”

Originally founded in 1998 Compassionate Care ALS (CCALS) is a nonprofit organization with a mission to support people diagnosed with ALS, their families, healthcare providers, and communities as they navigate the physical and emotional complexities associated with the disease. The organization provides a myriad of resources including; equipment, educational opportunities, insurance and Medicare assistance, guidance and awareness with regards to living with ALS, caregiving, and exploring end-of-life when invited. CCALS offers an innovative approach to delivering support and services to our clients, tailored to the needs of each individual and their support network. 

Ron Hoffman, Founder/Executive Director of CCALS is thrilled to receive this award. “The impact of receiving the Gupta Family Endowed Prize is a significant honor. To be recognized for our innovative approach to patient care along with our good friends at ALS One demonstrates the power of the impact our organization has on ALS families. The Sean M Healey & AMG Center for ALS at MGH selection of our organization emphasizes the importance of care for ALS patients and the fact that CCALS is able to improve the quality of life for each one of the more than 1,050 families we serve,” he says.

“The work of both ALS ONE and CCALS are nothing short of pivotal to the ALS community, and met the review criteria of being accessible, scalable and important for care,” said Merit Cudkowicz, MD, MSc, Director of the Healey & AMG Center and Chief of Department of Neurology at MGH. “We are grateful to the Gupta Family for making this prize possible to recognize idea sharing, innovation, and forward thinking on scalable ongoing and ground-breaking foundations like ALS ONE and CCALS that have directly improved ALS patient care.” The Gupta Family Endowed Prize for Innovation in ALS Care is a global prize to honor ground-breaking new approaches that lead to exceptional care for individuals living with ALS. This annual prize is awarded to a nominated team who has developed promising new approaches to improving care for people living with ALS. The goal of this prize is to encourage idea sharing, innovation, and forward thinking on scalable ongoing and ground-breaking projects that have directly improved ALS patient care.

Read the full press release on the Gupta Family Endowed Prize for Innovation in ALS Care HERE.