Ex-Gov. Cellucci To Raise Money For ALS Research

Former Massachusetts Gov. Paul Cellucci is hoping to raise millions in the fight against Lou Gehrig's disease.

Cellucci announced in January that he had been diagnosed with what he called a relatively slowly progressing case of the disease, also known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or ALS.

On Thursday, the former Republican governor is announcing the fundraising drive at an event at Fenway Park. The goal of the UMass ALS Champion Fund is to support research into the disease.

Cellucci is being treated at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.

ALS attacks the brain and spine and usually is detected after muscle weakness. It progresses to complete paralysis, is incurable and fatal.

Each year the disease, nicknamed for the New York Yankees player who died of it, kills about 5,000 Americans.