Stephen Hawking Lou Gehrig's Disease
Stephen Hawking’s ALS When thinking of a world renowned scientist, it is probably someone like Albert Einstein, with the white hair, a nerdy look about him, and a strange picture with him sticking his tongue out. It is probably not a person in a wheelchair who cannot talk or even hold a pencil. This scientist cannot move because he suffers from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis better known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s Disease, his name is Stephen Hawking. He is not just famous because he continued to teach and learn more about science despite him being a victim of ALS, but it is that he furthered the world’s knowledge about science by explaining his theories and making a difference in the science community. ALS is a disease that targets motor neurons,
…show more content…
Victims need assistance with basic needs, such as walking. A great way to help is an electric wheelchair. These devices allow people with ALS to move by themselves. For Hawking, this meant that he was able to move to his classes on campus and travel freely (Ryan 44). A California computer expert made a machine called an equalizer, this allowed Hawking and others to speak to people. He would use a mouse to choose words from a screen to make sentences. The machine would send the word to a voice synthesizer that would then speak the sentences for him. Hawking liked the machine; except for the fact that it had an American accent. Every time he spoke to an audience, he started with, “Hello, please excuse my American accent” (61). Other devices used to assist are feeding tubes, so that victims can eat properly without choking, and breathing assist machines to help the victim breathe properly (“History”).
It is important to realize that many people are affected by ALS each year. In the world two out of every 100,000 people are affected by Lou Gehrig’s disease. Nine out of ten cases have an unknown cause (“Center”). In the United States, one in 30,000 are affected by ALS (“History”). It is estimated that 5,600 people are affected each year (“Center”). Although there is no clear cause of Lou Gehrig’s disease, researchers suspect that it may have something to do with hereditary genes
Victims need assistance with basic needs, such as walking. A great way to help is an electric wheelchair. These devices allow people with ALS to move by themselves. For Hawking, this meant that he was able to move to his classes on campus and travel freely (Ryan 44). A California computer expert made a machine called an equalizer, this allowed Hawking and others to speak to people. He would use a mouse to choose words from a screen to make sentences. The machine would send the word to a voice synthesizer that would then speak the sentences for him. Hawking liked the machine; except for the fact that it had an American accent. Every time he spoke to an audience, he started with, “Hello, please excuse my American accent” (61). Other devices used to assist are feeding tubes, so that victims can eat properly without choking, and breathing assist machines to help the victim breathe properly (“History”).
It is important to realize that many people are affected by ALS each year. In the world two out of every 100,000 people are affected by Lou Gehrig’s disease. Nine out of ten cases have an unknown cause (“Center”). In the United States, one in 30,000 are affected by ALS (“History”). It is estimated that 5,600 people are affected each year (“Center”). Although there is no clear cause of Lou Gehrig’s disease, researchers suspect that it may have something to do with hereditary genes