CoxHealth receives donation to help ALS patients

Representatives from the Jeff Julian ALS Foundation present a check for $15,000 to CoxHealth Foundation president Lisa Alexander. Pictured are (left to right) Tyler Watskey, Jeff Julian ALS Foundation board chair; Lisa Alexander, CoxHealth Foundation president; J.R. Hutcheson and Jeremy Loftin, Jeff Julian ALS Foundation board members.

The CoxHealth Foundation has received a $15,000 donation from the proceeds of the 2011 Julian Golf Classic and auction, hosted by the Jeff Julian ALS Foundation.

This year’s donation will be used to support the care of ALS patients at CoxHealth through rehabilitation, emergency care and speech therapy.

The Julian Golf Classic honors the life of Jeff Julian, a PGA pro who was diagnosed with ALS in the prime of his career. His wife’s family is from Branson, and the couple returned to the area to seek care for Jeff near the end of his life.

ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that attacks motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord, and affects muscle function. There is no cure.

The yearly golf tournament and auction is held at the LedgeStone Championship Golf Course in StoneBridge, near Branson. The event is scheduled for Sept. 9 and 10. For more information on the tournament, visit www.thejulian.org. To learn more about the CoxHealth Foundation, visit www.coxhealthfoundation.com.

Golf tournament raises funds for ALS care

Pictured above: Tyler Watskey, Chairman Julian ALS Foundation board; Rodney Arnold, Skaggs Foundation; Lisa Alexander, President, CoxHealth Foundation; and Chris Vinton, Julian ALS Foundation board member.

Patients with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) in the Ozarks have another resource for their care thanks to this year's Julian Golf Tournament. Held in Branson at LedgeStone Country Club on September 20th, the event raised $45,000.

A check for $17,000 was presented to the CoxHealth Foundation, $10,000 to the Skaggs Community Health Center Foundation and $18,000 to the ALS TDI organization for research.

CoxHealth provided care to Jeff Julian, a PGA golfer who was diagnosed with ALS in the prime of his life. Julian's wife was from the Branson area and he came back to this region during the final months of his life.

Grateful for the outstanding care he received, his family chose to honor both hospitals with support for ALS patients annually from this tournament. CoxHealth has a room in the new ER dedicated to Julian and will continue to use funds for direct patient needs, communication devices and other needs related to ALS care.