SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA COUPLE TO CO-CHAIR MDA’s
ALS DIVISION FOR SECOND YEAR

TUCSON, Ariz., Jan. 24, 2007 — Augustine (Augie) and Lynne Nieto of Corona del Mar, Calif., will serve a second term as co-chairpersons of the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s ALS Division, MDA announced today.

During 2007, the couple will continue to raise awareness of MDA’s worldwide leadership in the fight against amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease) through media interviews, public appearances, fund-raising efforts and public service announcements.

ALS destroys the nerve cells controlling muscles in healthy adults, ultimately causing complete paralysis while leaving mental function intact. Survival is typically two to five years after diagnosis, and no cure exists.
Augie Nieto, 48, received a diagnosis of ALS in March 2005. The neuromuscular disease has affected his upper body strength and speech. Nieto, co-founder and former president of Life Fitness, is chairman of Octane Fitness of Andover, Minn.

As co-chairs of MDA’s ALS Division, the Nietos’ mission is to communicate to the public the crucial need to cure ALS, and to urge donations to support MDA’s scientific search for a cure.

The Nietos appeared on the 2006 Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon, and have been featured in MDA’s national public service announcement campaign (video and print). They’ve also given several media interviews, including an appearance on the “Today” show’s “Real Heroes” series in December.

“We’re thrilled to welcome back Augie and Lynne as co-chairs of MDA’s ALS Division,” MDA National Chairman Jerry Lewis said. “By sharing their personal experience with this devastating disease, they’ve done a remarkable job of communicating MDA’s determination to eradicate ALS.”

“It’s an honor to represent the individuals and families living with the challenges brought on by ALS,” said Nieto, who also serves as an MDA national vice president. “My wife and I proudly support MDA, a great organization that’s given our family help and hope through vital services and worldwide research.”

Active in ALS research and services for half a century, MDA has invested more than $190 million in its ALS program to date.

The Nietos initiated an effort to support MDA called “Augie’s Quest.” Gala dinners and other MDA events conducted under the Augie’s Quest banner have raised more than $7 million for MDA’s ALS research program. A second Augie’s Bash gala is scheduled for March 30 in San Francisco.

Funds raised for MDA through Augie’s Quest events have made possible two major advances in ALS research. This month MDA launched a joint venture with the ALS Therapy Development Institute to fund the largest ALS drug discovery project in history.

In November, MDA announced that a comprehensive scan of the human genome had identified more than 50 genetic abnormalities in people with sporadic ALS. The scan was conducted by the Translational Genomics Research Institute with MDA funding raised through events with the Augie’s Quest theme.

MDA’s ALS program includes grants to leading researchers worldwide, and medical care at some 225 hospital-affiliated MDA clinics and 37 MDA/ALS research and clinical centers across the country. People with more than 40 other neuromuscular diseases also are treated at MDA clinics.

MDA also assists people with ALS through help with purchase and repair of wheelchairs, purchase of augmentative alternative communication devices, support groups, expert-led seminars, an ALS Web site (www.als-mda.org) and ALS-specific chat rooms (www.mda.org/chat).