| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
Panorama Public Relations Renews Annual Commitment to Walk to Defeat ALS™
Corporate Sponsors Needed for 2010 Walk in Birmingham
BIRMINGHAM, AL — May 24, 2010 — Panorama Public Relations today announced its renewed annual commitment to the Walk to Defeat ALS in Birmingham. Since 2006, the Birmingham Walk has raised approximately $300,000, with the 2009 Walk growing to more than 300 walkers and $55,000 in corporate and individual pledges. Eighty-five percent of Walk funds go toward patient care in Alabama and the remainder is used by the National ALS Association for cutting-edge research, advocacy and other programs.
Approximately 150 Walk events are held across the country each year, and more than $80 million has been raised through the Walk program since its inception in 2000.
Corporate sponsors are invaluable and needed in the Birmingham Area for the October 9, 2010 Walk.
"I do not hesitate to participate," said Darlene Rotch, CEO of Panorama and board member of the ALS Association Alabama Chapter. "Everyone you talk to knows someone who's been affected, so community awareness is important—caregivers need to know there are resources available to help them as they deal with the effects of ALS."
Since the inaugural Birmingham Walk in October 2006, Panorama staff members have donated their time to gain media exposure; provide photography; obtain speakers from state government offices; and handle in kind donations and logistics for the Walk.
"I lost my maternal grandfather and my mother to ALS," said Melanie Green, VP of Operations for Panorama and Chair of the Birmingham Walk to Defeat ALS. "Research and patient services are especially critical to me, so I am thankful I can leverage my profession to help even more."
About ALS
ALS stands for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. Gehrig first brought national and international attention to ALS in 1939 when he abruptly retired from baseball after being diagnosed with it. The degenerative motor neuron disease can lead to total paralysis before taking the vital functions of breathing and swallowing. Meanwhile, mental capacity and senses are unaffected. Average life span from the time of diagnosis is two to five years, and there is no cure and no treatment to halt the disease. Good news came early in 2009 with the discovery of a gene, ALS6, responsible for about five percent of inherited cases, and again in the summer with adoption of a national registry of ALS patients by the Center for Disease Control.
About the 2010 Walk to Defeat ALS in Birmingham
The 5th annual Walk to Defeat ALS in Birmingham will be Saturday, October 9, 2010, at Vestavia Hills High School. There is no registration fee to participate in the Walk. Sponsors are needed and volunteers are welcome. For more information, to register for the walk or volunteer, visit www.alsalabama.org. For corporate sponsorships, call (256) 519-9030 or email info@alsalabama.org.
About Panorama Public Relations
Panorama Public Relations prepares and positions industry-leading companies to strategically communicate key messages vital to the financial well-being of their business and brand to the media and other stakeholders. Founded in 1998, Panorama is based in Birmingham, Ala., with offices in Huntsville and New Orleans. The company is WBENC-certified. www.prview.com
MEDIA CONTACTS
Panorama Public Relations
Melanie Green 205-328-9334 ext 6
melanie@prview.com
