The Simpson County Tennis Association raised funds for Connie Magee as well as the state ALS association.
Connie Magee, wife of Simpson Academy’s volunteer tennis coach David Magee, was recently diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), what was referred to in the past as Lou Gehrig’s disease. This is a degenerative disease which start with simple painless loss of muscle control. If unchecked it can migrate to all major muscle groups.
Alisha Magee, daughter of David and Connie, decided to do her senior project at Simpson Academy on ALS awareness. This eventually turned into a fundraising effort for Connie’s treatment as well as a donation for the state ALS association.
The group sold chicken plates for which the chicken had been donated by Tyson. In addition, a tournament was held in Jackson and the proceeds of the tournament were donated.
The total effort from the Simpson Tennis Association resulted in a $2,500 donation to the ALS association and $10,376.91 to the Magees for an experiental drug treatment with a drug called Radicava.
It is still termed an experimental drug in the United States but has been approved by the drug administration in Japan.
According to David Magee, the treatment should start within two weeks and is a 14 day treatment with a 10 day break. Afterwards it is a 10 day treatment and 10 day break. The first treatment will be given in Jackson but subsequent treatments can be given intravenously at home.
