Keith Worthington seemed a lot like other people in his neighborhood and community. He lived in Prairie Village with his wife, Sue, and their three children, Sharon, Kevin, and Kirk, attended the Second Presbyterian Church, and was an active member of the Kansas City community. Then, in 1973, he was diagnosed with ALS.

Suddenly, everything changed. His athletic body began to deteriorate and his voice was silenced, but his mind was still extremely active. Throughout his battle with ALS, Keith was frustrated by the lack of services available in our area for people with the disease.

In 1977, he and Sue held the first ALS support group meeting in the area. And to this day, it still meets on the first Tuesday of the month at the Second Presbyterian Church. In 1981, he established Kansas City's first ALS Chapter office. Keith also enlisted the then Kansas City Royals rookie George Brett, to help raise funds for ALS research.

In 1984, after living with ALS for 12 years, Keith died. The work of this special man lives on in the commitment and support that the Chapter he founded to anyone affected by ALS.

After Keith's death, Sue worked as a Service Coordinator for the Chapter until her retirement in 1993.  S ue is remarried to Jim Fassett, living in Texas, and is now a member of the Advisory Board.  Keith's sister, Diane Simpson, is also a member of the Advisory Board, and Keith's nephew, Jay Simpson, has long served on the Board of Directors.

What began as nothing more than the needs and frustrations of one man coping with this fatal disease has become a nationally recognized organization and a beacon of hope for the ever-growing number of people in Kansas, Nebraska, and Western/Central Missouri who are affected by ALS.