The other night at dinner I was discussing my heroes, people who take a bad situation and make them better for others…or in most cases, non-profit founders. My friend asked me if I had ever heard of woman named Jennifer Estes? I said,”No.” My dinner guest said, look her up, she sounds like your type of hero. How right she was.

Jennifer Estes and her sisters founded the non-profit, Project ALS. I had heard of ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease but I wasn’t clear about the impact that one woman’s life could have on this disease. Simply extraordinary.

Since 1998, Project A.L.S. has raised over $67 million and changed the paradigm for medical research. Jennifer lost her battle to this insidious disease on December 23, 2003 but her legacy lives on through her sister’s tireless efforts to find a cure for ALS. Jennifer Estes was not only a hero but a reminder to each of us to treasure each moment, the power of voice and a shining example of what one person can accomplish.

Charity Matters.

Copyright © 2014 Charity Matters. This article may not be reproduced without explicit written permission; if you are not reading this in your newsreader, the site you are viewing is illegally infringing our copyright. We would be grateful if you contact us.