Share to ClassroomEx-NFL Star Chris Johnson Reveals ALS
Chris Johnson is a former American football player who was famous for his speed in the National Football League (NFL) . Now 40, he has told the public that he has ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) . This serious disease can not be cured. Johnson shared the news on the American TV show Good Morning America. Doctors found the disease a year ago, after he felt a weakness in his right hand. He now speaks with a machine that follows his eyes.
ALS slowly damages the nerve cells that control movement. Slowly, patients can not walk, speak, eat or breathe. Johnson's case is not inherited from his family, like about 90 percent of cases. Scientists still do not know the cause. A 2021 study of more than 19,000 former NFL players found they were nearly four times more likely to get ALS. Researchers now study head injuries, smoking and dangerous chemicals.
Johnson hopes his story will help doctors find the disease earlier and lead to more research. ALS has changed what my body can do, but it hasn't changed who I am, he said. His mind is still sharp. Other famous people have also lived with ALS, including the scientist Stephen Hawking. About 33,000 Americans have the disease today. Sadly, no medicine can stop it— doctors can only ease the symptoms.
