Woman uses her own journey with ALS to raise money for community | WTOL 11

TOLEDO, Ohio – Of the 25 teams that participated in the Walk to beat ALS on Sunday in downtown Toledo, Jan’s Hope was one, supporting Jan Ramey, who herself has ALS but uses her journey to help others through crafts.

Rami was diagnosed with ALS almost 11 years ago. She said doctors told her she had two to five years to live.

“I mean, I had a two-week pity party after I got home, and it’s bad, and I was just like, ‘I’m not like that,'” Raimi said.

ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a neuromuscular disorder that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, causing loss of muscle control.

Now, more than a decade later, Raimi is still thriving with the support of her team, and now she’s started it Crafts for Hope business.

“So I took it upon myself and tried to do something that could raise money, and that’s how my whole craft website came about,” she said.

She said it started with elastic bracelets but has now expanded to all kinds of items such as kitchenware, baby items and blankets.

According to her, the funds are transferred directly ALS Association Northern Ohio Chapter so that they can expand research and spread awareness. She said it’s the key to longer-term treatment for the 33 counties they serve.

Rami also said that although she can do many things, not everything is possible due to her hands giving more. She explained that finding something you’re passionate about is important to living a healthy life and to others struggling with illness.

“You just have to find what works for you, don’t give up, just keep going. Have your support system,” Raimi said.

Sunday morning’s Walk to Defeat ALS in Promenade Park had 100 participants and was able to reach its fundraising goal of $80,000, according to organizer the ALS Association of Northern Ohio.

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