DANVILLE — The ALS Association announced recently it is awarding Geisinger Neurology Danville Clinic at Geisinger Health System, a grant to help strengthen multidisciplinary care for people living with ALS and their families.

Geisinger Neurology Danville Clinic will receive a $20,000 grant to support local families navigating an ALS diagnosis. The grant is made possible through the ALS Association’s Hugh and Herbert Hoffman ALS Impact Fund, created to remove barriers and expand access to high-quality care in local communities.

These funds will allow eligible clinics to support staffing, equipment, education and patient copay assistance, resources that directly improve the day-to-day care experience for people living with ALS.

“We are proud to build on Hugh Hoffman’s vision of ensuring that future families do not have to lose their loved ones to ALS,” said Steve Bullock, representative of the Hoffman family. “By investing directly in the clinics that serve people every day, the ALS Association is helping families receive the compassionate, specialized care they deserve.”

The announcement follows recent research supported by the ALS Association projecting a significant increase in the number of people living with ALS over the next 15 years. As prevalence rises, the need for accessible, affordable and coordinated care is becoming more urgent than ever.

Multidisciplinary care has been proven to extend survival and improve quality of life for people living with ALS, but access may vary greatly depending on where someone lives.

“Our Care Services team, made up of experienced and compassionate ALS care professionals, works side-by-side with ALS clinics across our network to ensure patients and families have access to comprehensive, coordinated support. They help families navigate care, connect to resources and provide guidance every step of the way,” said Jennifer Mundy, Managing Director of Care Services in Pennsylvania of the ALS Association. “This grant helps ensure that Geisinger Neurology Danville Clinic has the resources necessary to deliver expert care here in Northeastern Pennsylvania helping people with ALS live longer, fuller lives.”

The ALS Association established the ALS Clinic Certification Program in 1989, setting the gold standard for ALS care. Since then, these ALS Certified Treatment Centers of Excellence and Recognized Treatment Centers have grown into the premier network of ALS clinics. Each clinic in this network meets rigorous requirements and delivers comprehensive, multidisciplinary support — bringing together neurologists, therapists, social workers, nutritionists and other specialists who coordinate care and connect families with the services they need at every stage of the disease.