Stephen Hawking: An Analysis Of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

With the diagnosis of disease comes many life altering events. Someone’s world can be turned upside down at the moment it is recognized and these people have no choice but to adjust. Sometimes, the disease has the power to inhibit even the most simple activities, or in some lucky cases, inhibit almost none.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, commonly referred to as ALS, is a disease that can alter the daily life of a human in monumental and unending ways. In one of her articles about ALS, Caroline Ingre (2015) states that the disease is a “fatal neurodegenerative disorder” and further supports this by noting how the disease is marked by the degeneration in motor neurons in the brain, brainstem, and spinal cord (p. 181). This basically means that

After noticing that “on occasion he would trip and fall, or slur his speech…”, the young scholar finally went to the doctor for testing (“Stephen Hawking Biography”, ALS diagnosis section, para. 1). After his diagnosis, one can infer the events that followed. The fact that he could no longer speak or use his hands to write posed monumental problems to his studies. Evidently, a system was developed so as to aid Hawking in his speech and thought processes. According to an article titled “Reading Hawking’s Presence”, a communication program and speech synthesizer were developed to aid the scientist in his intellectual and physical communication (Mialet, 2003). Thankfully, Hawking was able to continue his work and make large strides in his theories with the help of these technologies. They have helped him fulfill his lifestyle and continue to do what he

Hawking is still alive and has been living with his disease for fifty-two years now (“Stephen Hawking Biography”, n.d.). In doing research as to how Hawking has been able to live so long with this disease, I came to the conclusion that there is not a reason. An article written by Terrence McCoy (2015) in the Washington Post described his lengthy life as “extraordinary” and “extremely rare”. This is further indication that his interminable existence is supported by pure luck. What an incredible coincidence that such an important man was able to withstand the consequences of a highly fatal disease. Stephen Hawking, the Hawking family, and the rest of the world are, whether they know it or not, thankful for this one man’s extreme luck. His contributions to scientific knowledge and his perseverance will be forever