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“ALS: Anyone’s
  Life Story”
May 2007
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MDA’s ALS Division introduces you to 31 people  - one each day for the month of May - who are living with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or Lou Gehrig’s disease). 

This series was inspired by Augie Nieto, ALS Division Co-Chairperson, who says that since his ALS diagnosis, instead of striving for success, his goal each day is to be significant.

In their own words, otherwise “ordinary” people describe the impact of living with a progressive, incurable and deadly disease. But their stories also tell how ALS has brought new significance to their lives in ways that you might not expect. 

ALS can become anyone’s life story. Please join MDA’s world-leading effort to stop it. 

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Read other stories by clicking the date on the calendar.
Henry J. McGillicuddy  

Name: Henry J. McGillicuddy

City, State: New York, New York

Age: 70

Family:
Fiancé -  Eileen Nolan
Children – Cathleen and Henry J. McGillicuddy
Grandchildren – Ryan and Matt McGillicuddy

Hobbies/Interests:Golf, sports, watching all the kids in the family at their sporting events, going to games, eating out, watching movies, walks.  I love the outdoors.

Date of ALS diagnosis: March, 2004

Life before ALS: I practically never sat still.  I loved golfing, going to meetings, attending sporting events, going out to dinners and the movies.  You could describe me as the “pop-in” visitor.  I loved to make people laugh!!!

Life with ALS: I’m no longer able to get out and enjoy the outdoors as I once loved to.  I spend most of my time “at home” – thank God with my fiancé Eileen and my daughter Cathleen.

How has ALS brought new significance to your life: I must say that following the shock of the diagnosis I began to live my life “today” instead of putting dreams and wishes off until tomorrow.  I began to travel; I went to Ireland, France, Italy, Portugal and Spain, plus a cruise and several trips within the States.  I’ve become more expressive of my love to my family and friends.  At one point, I must say that I’d become very depressed.  However, thanks to my family, a strong faith and some caring physicians I came out of it and find that I have a pretty good quality to my life regardless of the progression of my disease.  I am “living” with ALS.  I have extreme gratitude to my faith, my loved ones, my friends and associations such as MDA.  I’m still managing to keep the laughter going.
 
 
 
 
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