12A • September 11, 2015 | Cannon Beach Gazette | cannonbeachgazette.com
Finding a hero at the Ice Bucket Challenge
By Dani Palmer
Cannon Beach Gazette
Last year, the ALS Asso-
ciation Ice Bucket Challenge
went viral, raising $115 mil-
lion globally for research. Lo-
cals like Susan Simon, whose
son has ALS, are trying to
keep that challenge going.
Amyotrophic lateral scle-
rosis is a progressive neuro-
logical disease affecting the
nerve cells in the brain and spi-
nal cord. Symptoms include
muscle weakness and dif¿cul-
ty swallowing. Approximately
20,000 Americans have the
disease at any given time.
Adam Simon, 42, was di-
agnosed in 2008 and put in a
medical ward at the Air Force
base in San Antonio. He had
served in the Gulf War and
retired as a staff sergeant a
year after being diagnosed.
In 2012, he moved in with his
mother in Cannon Beach.
Adam was only given two
to ¿ve years to live. It¶s been
seven.
“Sometimes in life you
never have a hero,” Susan
said. “Adam is my hero.”
She noted that those di-
agnosed under the age of 40
often display a slower rate
of progression. Adam is un-
steady and falls often, but can
still walk with a walker and
gets out, Susan said. He goes
swimming and does other ac-
tivities with caregiver Daniel
Stowers.
Stowers was an army
combat medic for six years in
Afghanistan and recruited by
Su]anne (vans, Adam¶s other
caregiver also served in Af-
ghanistan as a medic with the
Oregon Army National Guard.
Susan said she saw a
bracelet soldiers wear to re-
member fallen comrades on
Stowers¶ wrist and told him
about the job after learning
he¶d also been a medic.
Evans was “pretty messed
up” after departing the mil-
itary, ¿nding it dif¿cult to
even leave home. She said
she felt blessed to receive the
job with the Simon family as
it was a safe place to do what
she loves. “The cherry on the
cake is that it¶s another broth-
er in arms,” she said.
She cooks, cleans, takes
Adam to Portland every three
months for medical appoint-
ments and does physical ther-
apy with him.
“I¶m just there as some-
body he can count on,” she
said. “Anything you take for
granted is harder for him.”
Stowers said he¶s learned
more about ALS through his
work with Adam and edu-
cates others.
“Adam¶s awesome,” he
said. “He¶s very Tuiet, but he¶s
one of those people who says
more without saying anything.”
Researchers are still study-
ing the correlation, but mil-
itary veterans are twice as
likely to be diagnosed with
ALS than the general popu-
lation, according to the ALS
Association.
In 2014, $77 million of the
$115 million raised through
the Ice Bucket Challenge
went toward research, $23
million toward patient and
community services and $10
million to public and profes-
sional education.
There is no cure for ALS
yet, only palliative care pro-
viding relief from symptoms.
“This death is not for sis-
sies,” Susan said. “It¶s like a
big train engine is coming
toward you and you can¶t get
off the track.”
Along with her Ice Bucket
Challenge, Susan, an artist at
White Bird Gallery, presented
a $500 donation to the ALS
Association.
via the sale of her paint-
ings.
Those who receive the
Ice Bucket Challenge are
encouraged to record them-
selves dumping a bucket of
ice water over their heads, to
challenge at least three more
people and donate to the ALS
Association. Susan extended
the invitation to the Ice Buck-
et Challenge to members of
American Legion Post 168.
More information can be
found at www.alsa.org¿ght-
als/ice-bucket-challenge.
DANI PALMER/CANNON BEACH GAZETTE
Military veterans Suzanne Evans, left, and Daniel Stowers pour water on Susan Simon, left, and Andy Kerr for the ALS
Association's Ice Bucket Challenge. Susan’s son, Adam, a retired staff sergeant from the U.S. Air Force, has ALS.
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