“At this time, we ask for privacy to express our sadness and to accept that we will not be able to say goodbye to Brian.”
These are the expressions of the family of American photographer Bryan Randall, who died on August 5. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)a disease that affects the nervous system in a degenerative and progressive manner, resulting in irreversible motor paralysis.
People magazine released a statement announcing Randall’s death at the age of 57.
The photographer was in an eight-year relationship with actress Sandra Bullock and she cared for him during the three years of his illness.
Randall’s family claims the photographer “choosed early on to keep his travels with ALS a secret”.
“Those of us who cared about him did everything we could to accommodate his request.”
“At this time, we ask for privacy to express our sadness and to accept that we will not be able to say goodbye to Brian.”
Randall’s family asks those who would like to honor his memory to donate to the ALS Association and Massachusetts General Hospital.
What is Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis?
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive disease with no cure.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), motor neurone disease affects two in every 100,000 people worldwide.
This occurs when neurons in patients affected by the disease wear down or die and can no longer send messages to the muscles.
This leads to muscle weakness, involuntary contractions, and inability to move arms, legs, and body in the short and medium term.
It usually begins with muscle cramps, weakness in an arm or leg, and difficulty swallowing or speaking, but as the condition progresses, it can affect the ability to move and even breathe.
According to the Mayo Clinic, the most common cause of death in ALS patients is respiratory failure.
Weakness of the swallowing muscles also increases the risk of food, liquid, or saliva entering the lungs, which can lead to pneumonia.
Death usually occurs within three to five years of diagnosis. However, some patients survive longer than this.
About 10 percent of people with ALS have a genetic or genetic cause. The rest of the causes are unknown, according to the medical agency.
ALS is one of the major neurodegenerative diseases, along with Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease.
According to the Brazilian Ministry of Health, age is the most important predictor of its occurrence, and it is more common in patients between the ages of 55 and 75.
British physicist Stephen Hawking, who died in 2018, was one of the most famous ALS sufferers. He lived 54 years with the disease, a phenomenon that most scientists don’t have an adequate explanation for.
ALS is also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.the name of the former New York Yankees baseball player who suffered from the disease and died in 1941 at the age of 38.
signs of disease
These symptoms usually start after age 50, but can also appear in younger people.
The disorder usually does not affect the senses, including the ability to taste, smell, see, touch, and hear.
People with ALS experience the following symptoms:
- Gradual loss of muscle strength and coordination;
- Inability to perform everyday tasks such as climbing stairs, walking, and lifting weights;
- Difficulty breathing and swallowing;
- easy to suffocate;
- muscle twitching;
- Speech problems, such as slow or unusual speech (slurred speech);
- Voice changes, hoarseness;
According to the Mayo Clinic, the risk of developing ALS is related to environmental factors.
There is evidence that smoking is a risk factor, as is exposure to lead or other substances in the workplace or at home.
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BBC-NEWS-SRC: https://www.bbc.com/mundo/articles/cy6ye5glz83o, import date: 2023-08-08 22:50:06