Latest news with #LastNerve
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Mindy Uhrlaub's Last Nerve: A Memoir of Illness and the Endurance of Family Launches Today (5/27/25)
One woman's story of confronting her genetic legacy and searching for a cure AUSTIN, Texas, May 27, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Award-winning ALS activist and author Mindy Uhrlaub today launched her new book, Last Nerve: A Memoir of Illness and the Endurance of Family (River Grove Books). While caring for a sick mother, a son with behavioral problems, and a husband going through cancer treatments, Mindy discovered that she carries a gene for the fatal neurodegenerative disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Last Nerve walks readers through how Mindy navigated the new territory of having three close relatives with life-threatening situations, and had to come to terms with the fact that she may have passed the fatal gene on to her two sons. Not one to fold, Mindy faces her circumstances head-on, realizing that her race for the elusive cure for ALS is not only for herself but also for her kids, her cousins, and the thousands of other carriers of the fateful gene. Despite the incredible strain of all these challenges, Mindy manages them with amazing tenderness, persistence, and love. Far from a depressing story of misfortune, Last Nerve is as uplifting and witty as it is raw and real. It's a testament to hope, the endurance of family, and the resilience of the human spirit. Early reviews for Last Nerve praise the book as a "heart-warming memoir of motherhood, ALS, and never backing down" (Publishers Weekly), and as a "complex and thoughtful remembrance about how family members can help one another through the worst of times" (Kirkus Reviews). Foreword also described Last Nerve as "uplifting in tone despite its grim subject matter, the book focuses on hope and resilience." To learn more, please visit or order Last Nerve at Amazon or Barnes & Noble. Additional Praise for Last Nerve "Mindy Uhrlaub's powerful and inspiring memoir is a work of courageous transformation. She deepens her soul by turning her pain into power and ardently committing herself to the struggle against ALS for the legacy of her mother, for herself, and for all those suffering from the disease. We are grateful."– V (FORMERLY EVE ENSLER), author of The Vagina Monologues and Reckoning "The author's bulldog spirit summarizes it all. This beautifully written memoir shines light on her unrelenting courage and resilience to fight for societal and personal causes that are dear to her. It serves as a reminder for medical professionals to treat every individual with compassion and respect, because behind every individual seen in research or clinic lies a complex tapestry of arduous battles fought daily, unwavering love, and importantly, hope."– Suma Babu, MBBS, MPH, ALS neurologist at Massachusetts General Hospital CONNECT WITH MINDY: Contact Bonnie Rice at Elevate Communications, brice@ Interview: Schedule an interview with Mindy Uhrlaub about Last Nerve Review: Reach out for a digital or hard copy of Last Nerve Excerpt: If interested in publishing an excerpt from Last Nerve, indicate the chapter you would like to include About Mindy UhrlaubMindy Uhrlaub is a founding member of End the Legacy. Her debut novel, Unnatural Resources, won the 2021 NYC Big Book Award for Cultural Heritage. Mindy also received the 2025 Harvey and Bonny Gaffen Advancements in ALS Award from the Les Turner ALS Foundation. She lives in Northern California with her family. Follow Mindy at on X @MindyUhrlaub, and on Instagram @Mindywrites1. View source version on Contacts Bonnie RiceElevate Communicationsbrice@
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Mindy Uhrlaub's Last Nerve: A Memoir of Illness and the Endurance of Family Launches Today (5/27/25)
One woman's story of confronting her genetic legacy and searching for a cure AUSTIN, Texas, May 27, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Award-winning ALS activist and author Mindy Uhrlaub today launched her new book, Last Nerve: A Memoir of Illness and the Endurance of Family (River Grove Books). While caring for a sick mother, a son with behavioral problems, and a husband going through cancer treatments, Mindy discovered that she carries a gene for the fatal neurodegenerative disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Last Nerve walks readers through how Mindy navigated the new territory of having three close relatives with life-threatening situations, and had to come to terms with the fact that she may have passed the fatal gene on to her two sons. Not one to fold, Mindy faces her circumstances head-on, realizing that her race for the elusive cure for ALS is not only for herself but also for her kids, her cousins, and the thousands of other carriers of the fateful gene. Despite the incredible strain of all these challenges, Mindy manages them with amazing tenderness, persistence, and love. Far from a depressing story of misfortune, Last Nerve is as uplifting and witty as it is raw and real. It's a testament to hope, the endurance of family, and the resilience of the human spirit. Early reviews for Last Nerve praise the book as a "heart-warming memoir of motherhood, ALS, and never backing down" (Publishers Weekly), and as a "complex and thoughtful remembrance about how family members can help one another through the worst of times" (Kirkus Reviews). Foreword also described Last Nerve as "uplifting in tone despite its grim subject matter, the book focuses on hope and resilience." To learn more, please visit or order Last Nerve at Amazon or Barnes & Noble. Additional Praise for Last Nerve "Mindy Uhrlaub's powerful and inspiring memoir is a work of courageous transformation. She deepens her soul by turning her pain into power and ardently committing herself to the struggle against ALS for the legacy of her mother, for herself, and for all those suffering from the disease. We are grateful."– V (FORMERLY EVE ENSLER), author of The Vagina Monologues and Reckoning "The author's bulldog spirit summarizes it all. This beautifully written memoir shines light on her unrelenting courage and resilience to fight for societal and personal causes that are dear to her. It serves as a reminder for medical professionals to treat every individual with compassion and respect, because behind every individual seen in research or clinic lies a complex tapestry of arduous battles fought daily, unwavering love, and importantly, hope."– Suma Babu, MBBS, MPH, ALS neurologist at Massachusetts General Hospital CONNECT WITH MINDY: Contact Bonnie Rice at Elevate Communications, brice@ Interview: Schedule an interview with Mindy Uhrlaub about Last Nerve Review: Reach out for a digital or hard copy of Last Nerve Excerpt: If interested in publishing an excerpt from Last Nerve, indicate the chapter you would like to include About Mindy UhrlaubMindy Uhrlaub is a founding member of End the Legacy. Her debut novel, Unnatural Resources, won the 2021 NYC Big Book Award for Cultural Heritage. Mindy also received the 2025 Harvey and Bonny Gaffen Advancements in ALS Award from the Les Turner ALS Foundation. She lives in Northern California with her family. Follow Mindy at on X @MindyUhrlaub, and on Instagram @Mindywrites1. View source version on Contacts Bonnie RiceElevate Communicationsbrice@ Sign in to access your portfolio
Business Wire
27-05-2025
- Health
- Business Wire
Mindy Uhrlaub's Last Nerve: A Memoir of Illness and the Endurance of Family Launches Today (5/27/25)
AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Award-winning ALS activist and author Mindy Uhrlaub today launched her new book, Last Nerve: A Memoir of Illness and the Endurance of Family (River Grove Books). While caring for a sick mother, a son with behavioral problems, and a husband going through cancer treatments, Mindy discovered that she carries a gene for the fatal neurodegenerative disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Last Nerve walks readers through how Mindy navigated the new territory of having three close relatives with life-threatening situations, and had to come to terms with the fact that she may have passed the fatal gene on to her two sons. Not one to fold, Mindy faces her circumstances head-on, realizing that her race for the elusive cure for ALS is not only for herself but also for her kids, her cousins, and the thousands of other carriers of the fateful gene. Despite the incredible strain of all these challenges, Mindy manages them with amazing tenderness, persistence, and love. Far from a depressing story of misfortune, Last Nerve is as uplifting and witty as it is raw and real. It's a testament to hope, the endurance of family, and the resilience of the human spirit. Early reviews for Last Nerve praise the book as a 'heart-warming memoir of motherhood, ALS, and never backing down' (Publishers Weekly), and as a 'complex and thoughtful remembrance about how family members can help one another through the worst of times' (Kirkus Reviews). Foreword also described Last Nerve as 'uplifting in tone despite its grim subject matter, the book focuses on hope and resilience.' To learn more, please visit or order Last Nerve at Amazon or Barnes & Noble. Additional Praise for Last Nerve 'Mindy Uhrlaub's powerful and inspiring memoir is a work of courageous transformation. She deepens her soul by turning her pain into power and ardently committing herself to the struggle against ALS for the legacy of her mother, for herself, and for all those suffering from the disease. We are grateful.' – V (FORMERLY EVE ENSLER), author of The Vagina Monologues and Reckoning 'The author's bulldog spirit summarizes it all. This beautifully written memoir shines light on her unrelenting courage and resilience to fight for societal and personal causes that are dear to her. It serves as a reminder for medical professionals to treat every individual with compassion and respect, because behind every individual seen in research or clinic lies a complex tapestry of arduous battles fought daily, unwavering love, and importantly, hope.' – Suma Babu, MBBS, MPH, ALS neurologist at Massachusetts General Hospital About Mindy Uhrlaub Mindy Uhrlaub is a founding member of End the Legacy. Her debut novel, Unnatural Resources, won the 2021 NYC Big Book Award for Cultural Heritage. Mindy also received the 2025 Harvey and Bonny Gaffen Advancements in ALS Award from the Les Turner ALS Foundation. She lives in Northern California with her family. Follow Mindy at on X @MindyUhrlaub, and on Instagram @Mindywrites1.
CBS News
30-04-2025
- Health
- CBS News
Bay Area app uses AI to help people with early detection of ALS symptoms
A former tech executive who lost her husband to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, ALS, hopes her app will help people with the early detection of ALS symptoms. These days, it's the little things Mindy Uhrlaub appreciates most: a quiet moment with her dog, coffee in hand, a few notes on the piano. Ordinary things made extraordinary by what she knows could be coming. "I wish I didn't have to think about this," she said. "But at the same time, I try not to let it consume my life." Uhrlaub carries the gene for ALS, the neurodegenerative disease that took her mother. She doesn't have symptoms. But once a week, she logs onto a Bay Area-built app called EverythingALS, a tool designed to help doctors and families spot early signs of the disease, before symptoms fully take hold. She reads a few lines aloud, and the app listens, trained to catch even the faintest slur or shift in speech. The technology was created by Indu Navar, a former tech executive who turned grief into action after losing her husband, Peter, to ALS. His diagnosis came two years after his first symptoms. By then, most of his motor neurons were already gone. "That's the time you're supposed to be doing something," Navar said. In the U.S., someone is diagnosed with ALS every 90 minutes. But the path to diagnosis is often slow, taking months, even years. By the time it arrives, there's often little doctors can do. Navar built EverythingALS to change that. Powered by artificial intelligence, the app tracks speech, gait and motor function, flagging subtle changes that most humans would miss. "AI has allowed us to predict changes in small variations that happen," Navar said. Because it's remote, the tool also makes clinical trials more accessible, opening up ALS research to a wider and more diverse population than ever before. The app has not yet been approved by the FDA, but early results are promising. As for Uhrlaub, taking back a little control has given her something else: a way to write her own story. She recently finished a memoir called Last Nerve out in May. "I enjoy every day of my life," she said. "I don't stay up at night worrying about stuff."
