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    Des Moines Police identify victim in Saturday night Dogtown shooting

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    Former U.S. diplomat draws attention to the Tigray War in Ethiopia during lecture

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    Iranians pushed over the edge after years of repression and corruption

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    Letter Signed by Charles Dickens Discovered in Drake Archives 

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    Sigma Phi Epsilon plans annual “Miracle on 34th Street” event

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    Drake Weekly Sports Podcast | December 3

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    The Sports Report 2010 7: 11/09/2010

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    The Great Resignation: What Is It? And Why Is It Happening?

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    Des Moines Police identify victim in Saturday night Dogtown shooting

    One dead, one injured in Dogtown shooting Saturday night

    One dead, one injured in Dogtown shooting Saturday night

    Former U.S. diplomat draws attention to the Tigray War in Ethiopia during lecture

    Former U.S. diplomat draws attention to the Tigray War in Ethiopia during lecture

    Iranians pushed over the edge after years of repression and corruption

    Iranians pushed over the edge after years of repression and corruption

    Drake proposes wellness fee costs, plans to expand mental health services

    Drake proposes wellness fee costs, plans to expand mental health services

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    Letter Signed by Charles Dickens Discovered in Drake Archives 

    Letter Signed by Charles Dickens Discovered in Drake Archives 

    Students share how they spent their Thanksgiving Break

    Students share how they spent their Thanksgiving Break

    Sigma Phi Epsilon plans annual “Miracle on 34th Street” event

    Sigma Phi Epsilon plans annual “Miracle on 34th Street” event

    A boring Black Friday: How Black Friday has changed over the years

    A boring Black Friday: How Black Friday has changed over the years

    Drake Theatre People presents “Rabbit Hole”

    Drake Theatre People presents “Rabbit Hole”

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    NFL MVP race heating up with top picks separating from the herd

    Quarterback Zach Wilson benched by New York Jets after week 10

    World Cup kicks off with U.S. promising fans exciting future

    World Cup kicks off with U.S. promising fans exciting future

    NFL MVP race heating up with top picks separating from the herd

    NFL MVP race heating up with top picks separating from the herd

    John Dee Bright honored at documentary and panel event

    John Dee Bright honored at documentary and panel event

    Breaunna Addison named head coach of Drake women’s tennis team

    Breaunna Addison named head coach of Drake women’s tennis team

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    The stars must have aligned: “Silent Sky” was quite fine

    The stars must have aligned: “Silent Sky” was quite fine

    “Ticket to Paradise” is your ticket to watching gorgeous people

    “Ticket to Paradise” is your ticket to watching gorgeous people

    2020 redux: can’t come to the classroom? Still need Zoom

    2020 redux: can’t come to the classroom? Still need Zoom

    Snapchat, strangers and smut: keep the kids’ eyes shut

    Snapchat, strangers and smut: keep the kids’ eyes shut

    Blues, booze and nothing to do: how to bloom during holiday gloom

    Blues, booze and nothing to do: how to bloom during holiday gloom

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    Drake Weekly Sports Podcast | December 3

    Drake Weekly Sports Podcast | December 3

    Drake Public Safety and the student body

    Drake Public Safety and the student body

    Humans of Drake Podcast

    Bulldog Blitz 1: December 7, 2010

    The Sports Report 2010 7: 11/09/2010

  • Relays Edition

    Bill that would make Iowa a hands-free driving state stalls in the legislature

    New Casey’s Location on Forest Avenue

    ADA student task force advocates for disability inclusion

    Des Moines lands news USL team and stadium district

    The Great Resignation: What Is It? And Why Is It Happening?

    The Great Resignation: What Is It? And Why Is It Happening?

    Hip astrology: Relays horoscope

    State of Sustainability at Drake

    Dean Kathleen Richardson: Leaving a Legacy for the Drake SJMC

    Painted Street ain’t so sweet when costs are heaped

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Student raises awareness for ALS

byTHOMAS SCEARCE
May 5, 2014
in Features
0

Story by Tom Scearce

“Extreme pain” was what first-year neuroscience and biochemistry, cell and molecular biology major Sarah Martin felt as she tied her running shoes to run the Chicago Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon in August of 2011.

She trained throughout the summer, only to twist her foot during her last run two days before the big race.

However, she knew she had to run. She was running to honor her principal and “very close friend” Eric McLaren who was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), a fatal neurodegenerative disease that affects the motor neurons in the brain, brain stem and spinal cord, just a year earlier.

“That morning I decided that if Dr. McLaren can fight ALS every day with such courage, then I can run these 13.1 miles for him,” Martin said.

Around the seven-mile mark, the pain became unbearable. As soon as she thought about quitting, she heard someone scream her name from behind. To her surprise, she found McLaren running behind her.

“It really empowered me to finish the race. And I did,” Martin said.

Hailing from Alsip, Ill., Martin attended the Illinois Math and Science Academy, an elite public high school where students  undergo a thorough admission process to be accepted. It was there that she met McLaren.

“After watching him battle the first symptoms of the disease, I became passionate about defeating ALS,” Martin said.

Since she was 14 years old, Martin has worked closely with the ALS Association of Greater Chicago by volunteering, raising awareness and raising money for research.

“It’s great because I’m able to meet people from all over Illinois, and they’re people I would never get the opportunity to meet normally,” Martin said.

Her passion doesn’t end there. Martin also performs ALS research. During her senior year, she started a new project at the University of Chicago that focused on understanding the role of mutant SOD1 molecules in ALS pathology.

“I love it because I get to work alongside some great researchers and learn so much,” Martin said. “It’s great to know my work is making, or will make, a difference.”

Her devotion to ALS even played a role in deciding what college to attend. She wanted a smaller school that was outside Illinois, but still close enough where she could continue her work and stay close to McLaren.

“Drake just seemed to be the perfect fit,” Martin said.

Martin said that not only is the school great academically, but she believes that the people at Drake are supportive of her cause.

“It’s good to know I go to a school where people care,” Martin said.

Martin also speaks to classes here at Drake about the disease and plans to head out to speak at other schools. Martin credits a lot of her success here at Drake to President David Maxwell.

Martin introduced herself to Maxwell at the Francis Marion Drake Society Dinner last October. They began discussing her majors and that led to her commitment to ALS. The topic caught Maxwell’s eye because he had a close friend pass away from ALS about a decade ago and it’s “a very personal issue” for him.

Maxwell introduced Martin to Dr. Richard Deming, who is head of the Cancer Center at Mercy Hospital in Des Moines. Deming gave Martin his card and told her to call him so he could connect her with the neurology folks at Mercy Hospital, which he has.

Maxwell is confident Martin will succeed in her work.

“She’s obviously blazingly smart, and I’m very impressed by her passion and drive to find a cure for this terrible illness. I fully expect great things of her,” Maxwell said.

Martin has started a blog entitled “Sarah’s ALS Journey” to document her work and spread awareness.

“It’s great to get the word out there, and it’s probably the best thing students can do,” Martin said.

She doesn’t know what the future will bring, but she knows that what she is doing know matters.

“ALS is my life. I don’t want to do anything else, and that’s OK. My work is very important to me, and I just want to honor my principal and show him that he left a legacy,” Martin said. “Even though there isn’t a cure, there’s always hope.”

Tags: ALSdiseaseDrake University

THOMAS SCEARCE

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