About Us

Pat’s sister, Cheran, was diagnosed with ALS in 2002. We, that is: Pat; his wife, Cathey; and Cheran’s best friend, Debbie; founded ALSSO in 2003 after much frustration and conversation with Cheran around her chair, about the lack of information and services in our area.

For our initial years we were associated with The ALS Association Evergreen Chapter in Kent, WA, and called ourselves SALSA (Spokane ALS Assn.), but our missions diverged. We wanted to be hands on and have personal relationships with the PALS and CALS.

So, in 2007 we separated from them and formed our own non-profit, The ALS Service Organization (ALSSO).

During our first meetings we were lucky to have the three of us and a handful of others. We grew by publicizing our meetings in the newspaper and in church bulletins until we grew to be the group we are now.

Over the years, the original group and then ALSSO has served several hundred families in NE Washington, North Idaho, and Western Montana.

Happily, over this time, we have witnessed a great growth in other services available in the Inland Northwest for our families:

 a reinvigorated ALS Association, Matt’s Place Foundation, Catholic Charities, Team Gleason, the Spokane ALS clinic and 

the Gleason Institute's Adaptive Technology Center.