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Hello Hunter,
That’s me in the black jacket, Marta Rubin Kiesling, joined by Dr. Zach Simmons, meeting a wonderfully inspiring family, Randy and Lisa Walker, at the Hershey Walk to Defeat ALS® this past Saturday. I was honored and humbled to connect with hundreds of families, friends and clinic staff that day - my first ALS event as the new Executive Director of The ALS Association Greater Philadelphia Chapter. I admire the families impacted by ALS and their positivity. But now that I’ve met many of you personally, I know how tirelessly and compassionately you work to support each other. I’ll do my best to match your dedication as I begin this new journey.
As I step into the shoes of Jim Pinciotti, an exceptional leader of the Chapter for the past 15 years, I very much look forward to getting to know you, and I plan to do that over the coming weeks and months. Please look for future stories from me via email and social media @alsphiladelphia as I meet and learn from other ALS families, healthcare leaders, researchers and others.
Before telling you a little about me, I want to thank Jim for guiding the Chapter for many years and I want to thank all of you for building this organization to where it is today. Chapter President Ellyn Phillips has already told me about the Chapter’s early beginnings and today the Chapter is a leader in funding research, in-home care, multidisciplinary clinics, speech devices and other programs that no one would have dreamed possible when the Chapter was founded in 1977. The question now is, “What heights will we reach next?” I look forward to finding that answer together.
As for me, some of the information I feel is important for you to know is that I have a varied background in non-profits, business, and legal work. You can read my full professional biography on our website here. <https://www.alsphiladelphia.org/the-als-associations-executive-director-profile?srctid=1&erid=14547050&trid=d3ddfe46-87f7-486a-80fe-0943b28eb463> While I don’t have a family member with ALS, I do know how important it is to for people to receive the best possible care and to be a strong advocate for families who are facing serious challenges. I also know that the best way to solve problems is through collaboration and with respect for everyone involved. After seeing how people are facing those challenges at the Hershey Walk to Defeat ALS, I am confident that we can work as a team to improve the quality of life for all ALS families.
But background isn’t as important as where we are headed! This year, as we recognize a 40th anniversary milestone for the Greater Philadelphia Chapter, we are already seeing many positive developments. This May, the FDA approved Radicava, the first FDA drug approval for ALS in 22 years. Our clinics are experimenting with Telemedicine and Brain Computer Interface technologies. The Chapter is even looking into ideas for the future, like virtual reality systems and expanding access to our patient programs. We cannot and will not miss any of these opportunities to support our ALS families.
In closing, I want to thank you all… and ask you to look out for another email from me within the next few days! We have some exciting and fast-approaching opportunities for everyone to get involved, which I’ll outline for you. Until then, I encourage you to find many ways to support our efforts on our website at www.alsphiladelphia.org <https://www.alsphiladelphia.org/page.redir?target=http%3a%2f%2fwww.alsphiladelphia.org&srcid=47401&srctid=1&erid=14547050&trid=d3ddfe46-87f7-486a-80fe-0943b28eb463> and to follow us on social media @alsphiladelphia to help raise awareness.
Thank you and I look forward to talking with you soon,
MARTA RUBIN KIESLING
Executive Director

The ALS Association Greater Philadelphia Chapter
321 Norristown Road - Suite 260
Ambler, PA 19002
alsassoc@alsphiladelphia.org <mailto:alsassoc@alsphiladelphia.org>
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