My Dad Has ALS?

Description

ALS, or Lou Gehrig's Disease, affects as many as 30,000 Americans at any given time, with approximately 15 people being diagnosed every day. ALS patients generally survive only between 2 and 5 years from diagnosis, and many such patients are parents or grandparents to young children. A child whose loved one has been diagnosed with this disease may find it frightening, and may be unsure of what to expect as the disease takes hold of his/her parent, grandparent, or loved one. Rachel and Jennifer Silverman are 14 and 12 year old sisters who lost their paternal grandmother to ALS before they were born. They decided to write a children's book to offer insight and comfort to other children about the disease, and to help remove some of the confusion and fear that they may have. My Dad Has ALS? offers a unique perspective that will resonate with kids who have a family member with ALS. The story is told through the eyes of a 9 years old boy, Ryan, as he watches his father progress through the devastating stages of the disease. Through it all, the two maintain their strong bond, and continue to create positive memories together, even as the disease takes hold and slowly removes Ryan's dad's faculties. The book is honest and intended to remind kids that their loved ones with ALS are still the same people inside, they are still relevant, and that their time together is precious. It is hoped that kids who read this book will take comfort that they are not alone and that ALS touches many more people than they may realize.

Jennifer Silverman was an activist with m*a*m*a, a collective of radical mothers, has been published in Hip Mama and Off Our Backs, and has written for a variety of parenting publications. She lives in New York City.