ALS Therapy Development Institute to honor Kenmore resident for service
Published 10:23 am Thursday, September 26, 2013
Kenmore resident Jennifer Gore Dwyer will be honored at the ALS Therapy Development Institute’s ninth annual Leadership Summit on Oct. 3. ALS TDI is located in Cambridge, Mass. and is the world’s largest and only nonprofit biotechnology organization with more than 30 professional scientists focused on a single disease indication: ALS, commonly known as “Lou Gehrig’s disease.”
Every year during the Leadership Summit, ALS TDI honors members from the community who have led us in the battle against ALS. Dwyer is one of the five award winners this year and will be presented with the “Mary Lou Krauseneck Courage & Love Award” for her involvement within the ALS community.
Dwyer’s husband, Pat, was diagnosed with ALS in 2005 and passed away in June 2013. Jennifer was his primary caregiver while simultaneously owning and operating the commercial fishing business, St. George Marine, which she and Pat formed in 1986.
Throughout the progression of Pat’s disease, Jennifer became a vocal advocate for research funding for the disease, particularly for ALS TDI, regionally in the Pacific Northwest and nationally. She established the National YFALS Corntoss Tournament in Seattle, soliciting sponsors, donors and participants from the family’s significant network in the region, raising $55,000 for ALS drug development programs at ALS TDI through the 2013 tournament. Additionally, Jennifer and her family continue to petition for an increase in federal support of ALS drug development on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC.
ALS TDI’s Leadership Summit is an annual conference where ALS scientists, academics, pharmaceutical executives, industry leaders and patients gather for presentations on new discoveries in the field and to participate in a panel discussion. This year the discussion will be focused on the challenges of drug development in orphan diseases, like ALS, and the role of venture philanthropy and the patient in the drug development process.
The entire Leadership Summit, including award presentation, will be broadcast online on October 3 at www.als.net/summit. Additionally, more information about the awards can be viewed at www.als.net/summit/awards.
