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PT students find hope, inspiration through ALS race by Cindy Abole Public Relations  What was billed as another foot race in Charleston was far from it. The third annual 5K Beach HOPE Run/Walk became an extraordinary event for Joel Hunt and others like him. The 63-year-old Hunt suffers from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) or what’s more commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. On June 7, Hunt and other patients were honored in a race whose proceeds will benefit ALS research. Joel Hunt, an ALS patient, starts the third annual 5K Beach HOPE Run/Walk on June 7 with the help of a bullhorn held by PT student Amanda Kelley. She and other PT students organized the race to raise donations. So before 7 p.m. under overcast skies on an Isle of Palms boardwalk, Hunt, surrounded by family, medical staff and friends faced an anxious crowd of 250 runners and walkers. Using a bullhorn, he verbally signaled the event to begin. Just as participants began kicking-up sprays of sand came the moment that made him flash an easy smile. He had met his goal: to be present at the race and stay in support of others. His efforts and the coordination and planning of others involved in this project resulted in gathering about $5,000 in donations for ALS research this year.  “We were thrilled the event went so well,” said Amanda Kelley, race coordinator and physical therapy student. “We’re so happy to be able to collect and donate a lot of money in honor of Joel and others like him. We felt we were able to touch so many people with ALS.” The race was coordinated and sponsored by members of the College of Health Professions’ Physical Therapy Class of 2004 as a community service project to encourage patient support and research through Project ALS and to initiate awareness about the disease. Begun in 1999, the project has blossomed from a charity race to educational outreach featuring an ALS patient for whom the event is being honored. For the past few years, the students have worked with a therapist in the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences’ Physical Therapy program in locating an ALS patient willing to participate. “In the patient populations we work with, we’ve seen an increase of people and patients who are diagnosed with ALS or know someone who has it,” Kelley said. “Knowing that there’s a lot of ongoing research devoted to find a cure for this disease motivated us to be involved.” Kelley contacted MUSC physical therapist Sara Kraft working at Kindred Hospitals Charleston, a private long-term acute care facility in downtown Charleston about the race plans in April. At the same time, Hunt, a Garnett, S.C., native, had just finished treatment at the Carolinas Medical Center’s Neuromuscular ALS-MDA Center in Charlotte, and had just been admitted to Kindred in Charleston. He was diagnosed with the disease by his own family physician just three years earlier. A former active runner and sportsman, Hunt, who is wheelchair-bound, was instantly receptive to the idea and worked with Kraft, his therapist, to prepare for the race. “He works hard and has such a positive attitude,” Kraft said, about her patient who manages to spend his days out of his hospital bed. Because the disease is defined by progressive muscle weakness, Kraft helped focus on walking, endurance and building Hunt’s sitting tolerance. Today, his efforts are slowed even more because he relies on a ventilator to breathe. Meanwhile, Kelley and her fellow classmates finalized plans for the race. They solicited race sponsors and donations. Altogether earlier donations combined with this year's efforts raised $15,000 for ALS research. Sponsors for the race include Interim Healthcare, A Dough Re Mi Pizza, Charleston Rigging and Marine Hardware, Coastal Area Stores, Appalachian Springs Water, Stokes Honda, Appalachian Sales Group, Jerry Shive, Elliott Saw Milling Co., Van and Christine Peeples, Kindred Hospitals of Charleston, Personal Care Ambulance Service, MUSC Respiratory Therapy and Physical Therapy.  Kraft was among a medical team of a dozen people including therapists, nurses, emergency medical technicians  who were available on June 7 to support Hunt. Following the race, he joined his mother, family members and other race participants for a pizza party—enjoying the satisfaction of tasting his own loaded pie—in celebration of others.  “For me personally, I became so involved in planning and meeting details up until race day,” said Kelley. “So when I met with Joel I realized that everything I was doing had more meaning. From that moment, making Joel’s day became a focus for me and a daily inspiration to others.”       Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to petersnd@musc.edu or catalyst@musc.edu. 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