ClinicaHealth Powers ALS Association's Online Advocacy Community

Foremost ALS non profit organization using online community to empower advocate and patient communities.

ARLINGTON, VA - August 7, 2006 - ClinicaHealth, the leading provider of online health community solutions, today announced the successful implementation of the ClinicaHealth-powered community for the ALS Association (www.alsa.org). This online community enables members to engage in discussions about ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis otherwise known as Lou Gehrig's Disease) advocacy issues, share their experiences and ideas, and meet others from around the world who have the passion to make a difference in the fight against ALS.

"The ClinicaHealth-powered community for The ALS Association provides members with an important social forum that significantly furthers the mission of The ALS Association," said Brian Loew, ClinicaHealth CEO. "The online community features blogs, discussion boards, online surveys and more. These collaborative tools allow individuals to easily identify and contact others within the ALS community and establish effective and long-lasting social networks."

The ALS Association is the only national not-for-profit health agency dedicated solely to the fight against ALS. The mission of ALSA is to find a cure for, and improve living with ALS. The ALS Association has a nation-wide network of chapters and several dozen free standing support groups located throughout the United States carrying out the mission and activities of the organization at the local level. It is also the largest private source of funding for ALS-specific research in the world. Since 1993, The ALS Association has awarded more than $25 million to fund research seeking to identify the cause, means of prevention, and cure for ALS.

"The site will become a place for an open dialogue among people from throughout the ALS community, including families, friends and caregivers, researchers and clinicians, and others who want to join our fight for a treatment and cure for ALS," said Steve Gibson, The ALS Association's Vice President of Government Relations and Public Affairs. "Recognizing that discussion and information sharing is vital not only to advancing our advocacy priorities, but also to ending this disease, we are glad to offer this service to the entire ALS community."

The ClinicaHealth-powered community can be viewed at: http://alsa.inspire.com

About ClinicaHealth

Founded in 2005, ClinicaHealth is the leading provider of online health community solutions. ClinicaHealth provides safe, rich, and engaging online communities for patients, their caregivers and families through cutting-edge collaborative technologies. By enabling those affected by medical conditions to seek out and help one another, ClinicaHealth fosters the creation of vibrant, effective and close-knit social networks. ClinicaHealth's clients include The Children's Inn at NIH, Lung Cancer Alliance, National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD), Arthritis Foundation (DC Chapter), ALS Association and WomenHeart. For additional information, visit www.clinicahealth.com or contact the company at (703) 243-0303.

Testimonials

Families often say to us, especially those with rare or genetic disorders, that they want to be able to talk to other families who walk the walk—they want to share that valuable connection. They can do this with Inspire's online community platform. - Kathy Russell, Executive Director, The Children's Inn at NIH

I am so encouraged by the upbeat fighting attitudes of the members here and with your loving concern for each other. - Member, Lung Cancer Alliance Survivors Support Community

I read the blogs and my heart goes out to each and everyone who has been or going through this as a patient or as a caregiver. I wish this site would have been here while my brother was alive. - Member, ALS Advocacy Support Community

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