This month, we honor some of our many dedicated volunteers. Today, we’re learning more about Teri McCormick Hinton. Teri joined I AM ALS after losing her sister to the disease. Here, she shares more about her work as a volunteer for the organization and the impact that work has had on her life.

In what roles do you currently volunteer at I AM ALS? 

I am on the Legislative Affairs Team and have also worked on the library committee for Lou Gehrig Day last year. 

How has volunteering with I AM ALS changed your life or the life of your family?

After my sister, Elizabeth McCormick, died, it was impossible for me to simply settle into a life that did not rage against the injustice of it all. Being part of this team—that aims to engineer pathways for patients to be heard, save lives and extend the quality of lives—helps me be part of something whose value can’t be measured. 

Why did you initially decide to get involved with I AM ALS as a volunteer?

While my sister and her family were devastated by her diagnosis, she immediately looked for ways to take action. Like many people with ALS, she was compelled to seek out answers and discovered I AM ALS. In long discussions with her, she told me about the trust she had gained in the patient-centered work I AM ALS did. She found a community at I AM ALS, and when it was time, I did too.

What would you tell others who are facing similar circumstances about what they could gain by volunteering with I AM ALS? 

Welcome. This is a place where you can do for others and they, without asking, will do for you. I AM ALS is at the forefront of the science, policies, and challenges for those living with ALS and the friends and families who love them. This is a place for you.

Any other words of advice you’d like to share?

As volunteers for I AM ALS, we have a chance to be part of a community of hope for ourselves and others. What might start out as a way to give back can become a way of belonging.