ALS Clinic Named for Jim “Catfish” Hunter Opening at Pitt County Memorial Hospital on September 26

GREENVILLE, NC – July 10, 2008 – Pitt County Memorial Hospital today announced it will open an Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) clinic on September 26th.  ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a neurodegenerative disease that attacks nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, leading to progressive paralysis usually in less thanfiveyears.  The new clinic will be the only multi-disciplinary clinic in eastern North Carolina to serve persons with ALS.

“We are excited to offer a clinic devoted to ALS in Greenville to help serve everyone living with this dreadful disease,” said PCMH President Steve Lawler. “Our communitieshavecertainly felt the impact of ALS. Withthis clinic, we expect to provide better access to expert medical care, cutting-edge research and clinical trials. The end result will be a one-stop shop for health care needs.”

The clinic, slated to open September 26th, will work in partnership with Duke University’s ALS Clinic and will be led by Richard Bedlack, MD, PhD and Robert Frere, MD of East Carolina Neurology.  Bedlack is the director of the Duke ALS Clinic and a world-renowned neurologist in the ALS community.  Also playing an integral role in the clinic will be the Jim “Catfish” Hunter Chapter, The ALS Association’s North Carolina chapter, by providing valuable information and resources to people with ALS.

“This clinic is long overdue, but we are thrilled to have so many caring people coming together to make this a reality,” said Jerry Dawson, President of the ALS Association’s Jim ‘Catfish’ Hunter Chapter.  “Specifically, we owe a huge debt of gratitude to Representative Walter B. Jones, Steve Lawler, Dr. Richard Bedlack, Dr. Robert Frere and most importantly Helen Hunter and the Jim “Catfish” Hunter ALS Foundation for providing the necessary funding to make this a reality.  No longer will people with ALS in this area of our state have to travel long distances to receive world class care.”

Funding for the clinic was generously provided by the Jim “Catfish” Hunter ALS Foundation in Hertford, NC.  The foundation, named in honor of the North Carolina native and Major League Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher, was founded in 1999.  Hunter, who was arguably the best pitcher in baseball in the 1970’s, was diagnosed with ALS in 1998 and died from complications of the disease a year later at the age of 53.  During that time, he used his celebrity status to increase awareness for ALS.  More recently, Keith LeClair, East Carolina University’s former baseball coach, lost his battle with ALS in 2006.  The deaths of these two men not only brought the effects of a disease like ALS to light, but also showed the need for an ALS clinic in eastern North Carolina.