Famous People
ALS/MND affects a huge number of people around the world. Most of those people are not well known outside of their own community. But many are.
In the interests of promoting awareness of ALS/MND, the International Alliance is collecting a list of people who are either well known in their country or well known in their field of endeavour.
We have used the term PALS to represent a person who has been diagnosed with ALS/MND. This is a term used by people with the disease to describe not only their diagnosis, but also their relationship with other people with the diagnosis. The term supporter is used for other famous people who have joined the fight against ALS/MND.
Reading this list will enhance your awareness of the range of people who are engaged or have engaged in the fight against ALS/MND. Some are no longer with us, but the spirit of their fight lives on. If you are aware of a famous person, either in your country or in a specific field of endeavour, who was diagnosed with ALS/MND or is working with people diagnosed with ALS/MND or their Orgnaisations, please contact the Alliance with their name, their relationship to the disease and why they are recognised.
NAME | Interest | Notable as |
Jason Becker | PALS | Rock guitarist with David Lee Roth |
Hal Boyle | PALS | US Journalist |
Gordon Bruce | PALS | Politician and President of the Legislative Council, South Australian Parliament |
Heinz G Burt ("Heinz") | PALS | 1960's pop star and recording artist with the Tornadoes, known for recording "Telstar" |
Ronaldo Cameron | PALS | Australian dancer |
Percy Cerutty | PALS | Australian athletics, coached John Landy and Herb Elliot |
Ezzard Charles | PALS | Heavyweight Boxing Champion |
Lord Leonard Cheshire | PALS | British W.W.II Air Ace and philanthropist |
Peggy Chun | PALS | US water colour artist |
Ian Coates | PALS | Australian Rules football umpire |
Jim Courtney | PALS | Australian jockey |
Wendy Crewson | Supporter | Canada - ALS Alberta's Run for Betty; well known Actress |
Cyril Cusack | PALS | Irish actor |
Dennis Day | PALS | Singer and television personality (a Jack Benny sidekick) and former Mousekateer |
Oliver de Groot | PALS | South African musician |
Judith Durham | Supporter | Lead singer for international group "Judith Durham and the Seekers"; National Patron, Motor Neurone Disease Association of Australia; wife of Ron Edgewort |
Ron Edgeworth | PALS | Jazz composer and pianist |
Bruce Edwards | PALS | US PGA Tour Caddy |
George Fay | PALS | Australian singer and member of The Four Kinsmen |
Brigadier Alf Garland | PALS | Australian Career soldier and former Returned Serviceman's League National President |
Lou Gehrig | PALS | Hall of Fame Baseball Player (New YorkYankees) |
Elsa Haas | PALS | Australian opera singer |
Scott Hastings | Supporter | Most capped Scottish Rugby Player, Patron of Scottish MNDA |
Stephen Hawking | PALS | Theoretical physicist and Lucasian Professor of Mathematics, Cambridge University, England |
Jim "Catfish" Hunter | PALS | Hall of Fame Baseball Player (OaklandAthletics and New YorkYankees) |
Ben Illemann | PALS | South African Opera Singer |
Jacob Javits | PALS | United States Senator from New York |
Dr Harry Jenkins | PALS | Politician and former Speaker of the Australian Parliament |
Rafn Jonsson (Rabbi) | PALS | Foundation Chairman of the MND Society of Iceland and musician |
Jeff Julian | PALS | US PGA Tour Golfer |
William Keough | PALS | U.S. Representative to the U.N. and former Iranian Hostage |
Huddie Ledbetter ("Leadbelly") | PALS | American folk singer and king of the 12 string guitar |
Sir Walter Leonard | PALS | Former Chairman, Ampol Petroleum |
James Macdonnell | PALS | Australian author |
Jimmy Mack | Supporter | Radio Broadcaster, Patron of Scottish MNDA |
Willie Maddren | PALS | Manager, Middlesbrough Football (Soccer) Manager |
Magnus Magnusson | Supporter | TV Personality, and Patron of Scottish MNDA |
Gilbert Mant | PALS | Australian journalist |
Charles Mingus | PALS | Jazz composer and bassist |
Glenn Montgomery | PALS | Professional Football Player (American Football) |
Pauline Moore | PALS | American Actor |
Arch Nicholson | PALS | Australian film director |
David Niven | PALS | Actor |
Tim Noel | PALS | Deputy Governor, Bank of Canada |
Sir Gustav Nossal | Supporter | Patron of the MNDA Australia; Notable Scientist and Australian of the Year 2000 |
Rocky Page | PALS | Australian country and western performer |
Aviva Pelham | Supporter | Opera Singer - Patron on the MNDA of South Africa |
Everard Read | PALS | Renowned South African dealer in Fine Art and environmentalist |
Don Revie | PALS | Manager, Leeds and Englan Football (Soccer) Manager |
Don Riddell | PALS | Australian singer |
HRH The Princess Royal | Supporter | Honorary President, MND Scotland and Royal Patron of the MND Association of England, Wales & N.I. |
Dimitri Shostakovich | PALS | Russian Composer |
Jon Stone | PALS | Creator of Sesame Street |
Morrie Schwartz | PALS | Professor of Sociology, media personality and author |
Jean Stilwell | Supporter | National Spokesperson for ALS Canada; internationally know mezzo-soprano |
General Maxwell Taylor | PALS | General Commander, United States Army |
Sir Ian Trethowan | PALS | Former Director General of the BBC |
Mao Tse Tung | PALS | Revolutionary leader of China (reported in biography written by his personal physician) |
Henry Wallace | PALS | Vice President of the United States(Roosevelt Administration) |
Tom Watson | Supporter | PGA Tour Golfer whose caddy is Bruce Edwards |
Charlie Wedemeyer | PALS | Professional Football player (American football) |
George Yardley | PALS | National Basketball Association (NBA) Hall of Fame member |
| Scott Gale | PALS | Balmain (Australia NSW) rugby league player |
| Dr Torao Tokuda | PALS | Owner of the worlds largest hospital group - The Tokushukai Group |
| Pro Hart | PALS | Australian Artist |
| James Kemsley | PALS | Australian Cartoonist |
| Michael Zazlow | PALS | Emmy Winning Daytime Television actor |
| Richard Morgan | PALS | Australian Actor
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