Queen Sofía attends ALS research event

Queen Sofía of Spain has attended an ALS research event in Madrid.

The Queen closed the 2nd Manolo Barros International Congress on Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Research on 19 June.

Her Majesty listened to the conference “What do we know about ALS?” and heard from Pascual Sánchez-Juan, scientific director of the Center for Research in Neurological Diseases (CIEN) Foundation and the Queen Sofia Foundation, and Ammar Al-Chalabi, director of the Motor Neurone Disease Care and Research Center at King’s College London.

She also listened to discussions on the importance of ALS patients in research. The work of the BT-CIEN Tissue Bank was highlighted; they promote donating brain tissue to study the effects of ALS on the human body.

Queen Sofía closed the conference as a way to mark World Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Day.

The conference included researchers, healthcare professionals, charities and those suffering from ALS and their families. Casa Real said the event was designed to “not only to promote the exchange of knowledge and experiences, but also to boost research and raise awareness about the reality of this disease.”

Several royals have participated in events related to ALS (or MND in the UK). A full list of those helping in the fight against ALS can be found here.

The Mayo Clinic describes ALS this way: “ALS often begins with muscle twitching and weakness in an arm or leg, trouble swallowing or slurred speech. Eventually ALS affects control of the muscles needed to move, speak, eat and breathe. There is no cure for this fatal disease.”

Symptoms vary from person to person, with most developing issues in their extremities. However, in its most progressive state, the illness begins where it ends – in the mouth, throat and lungs.

You can learn more about ALS from the Mayo Clinic here.