Terance Mathis to Host Celebrity Golf Outing

SUWANEE, Ga. - Aug. 1, 2013 - PRLog -- Suwanee, GA, August 1, 2013: Former Atlanta Falcon, Terance Mathis learned about Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) when he ran a local 5k race last year. Like many others, he knew little about the disease that took the life of Lou Gehrig in 1941. Recent awareness about ALS, including learning about the number of professional athletes diagnosed with the disease, inspired Mathis to become involved in advocacy and fundraising. The former All-American and Pro Bowl wide receiver is hosting a Celebrity Golf Outing for ALS on Monday, September 9, 2013 at Alpharetta Athletic Club in Milton, GA.

ALS is a neuromuscular disease that attacks the brain and spinal cord. There is no cure and the average life span after diagnosis is 2-5 years. It takes away the ability to move, speak, swallow, and ultimately breathe, and it can strike anyone.

Although considered a rare disease, the number of professional athletes who have had ALS is large:

Eric Scroggins

O.J. Brigance

Glenn Montgomery

Pete Duranko

Steve Smith

Tony Proudfoot

Bob Waters

Matt Hazeltine

Gary Lewis

Orlando Thomas

Wally Hilgenberg

Kevin Turner

Steve Gleason

NFL players, in fact are eight times more likely to be diagnosed with ALS than other men in their age group. Other well-known athletes to have ALS include:

Ezzard Charles (boxer)

Bruce Edwards (PGA caddy)

Lou Gehrig (MLB)

Jim “Catfish” Hunter (MLB)

Jeff Julian (PGA golfer)

Pete Frates (Boston College baseball)

The funds raised from the tournament will benefit the Emory ALS Center. Located in Atlanta, the Emory ALS Center is one of the largest clinical centers for ALS in the United States. The Center provides true multidisciplinary care for patients and families with ALS, and is dedicated to performing groundbreaking research in the laboratory to discover treatments and a cure.

Event Details

Golfers in threesomes will be grouped with celebrity team captains from the NFL, MLB, other sports and the Atlanta area for a shotgun start at 10:00am. Lunch will be provided and there will be fun contests on the course. An awards reception will follow play, with guest speaker Kevin Turner, former fullback for the University of Alabama, New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles. Non-golfers may purchase a “reception only” ticket. Interested sponsors and players should contact Karen Duffy at 678-491-0639 or teamduffy@gmail.com.

www.CureForALS.com