My name is Jennifer Schroedl. I'm a 47-year-old single mother who is living with ALS. Here is my story and why I've decided that ALS no longer stands for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis but instead, Always Laughing and Smiling.

My ALS story began In 2017. I was suffering from what I thought was a pinched nerve in my right shoulder. I was no stranger to the aches and pains of arthritis. I wrote it off as such and just powered through each day. But as it continued to worsen, I decided to seek out medical attention. After a year of seeing doctor after doctor with no definitive solution or explanation I was sent to the neurology department at the University of Washington. On December 13, 2018 my entire world was flipped upside down. The ultimate sucker punch was delivered to me on that day. I was diagnosed with ALS and given 2-5 years to live. Although the day is a bit of blur, I remember clearly telling the doctor “I can’t have this! I’m a single mom! My daughter needs me."