Claire Sharp, along with Team We Are Sharp, is one of the many participants who will be joining the 2023 Walk to Defeat ALS for the very first time.
Claire was a stockbroker for ten years in her early career. After having her three beautiful children, she became Executive Assistant to the Chief Financial Officer at two different companies in Silicon Valley for the remainder of her professional career. She lives with her husband of 14 years in Medford, Oregon and was diagnosed with ALS on March 18, 2022. Since then, she has been working to raise awareness about ALS because, like many others, she was previously unaware of the disease. One way she’s bringing awareness is by sharing her story with everyone she knows- whether they talk every day or haven’t spoken in years. She believes it is important to share her story because, “it’s very difficult to make people aware of something when it doesn’t touch their lives.” But, if they can make a personal connection to ALS through her, she’s happy to use her voice to get more people involved to support the ALS community.
Although Claire’s ALS diagnosis has been overwhelming and difficult to deal with, she has found the local ALS Chapter and care services to be incredibly helpful throughout her journey. Our care services staff have been able to provide her and her husband with vital information and equipment to make her day-to-day life more manageable. Our Regional Medical Equipment Warehouse was able to provide Claire with a ramp so that she can continue to get into the front door of her house.
Claire has always lived her life to the fullest and her diagnosis doesn’t change that. She’s very involved in her community and loves to stay active whenever she gets a chance. She created a book club for her neighborhood to get to know those around her better because, “relationships are the most important thing in life so it’s important to cherish them and allow them to grow.” You will also find her gardening, attending game days every Tuesday, trying out one of the many amazing wineries in Oregon, or taking a walk in her neighborhood with her friends. Overall, she’s incredibly thankful for her supportive and amazing husband, and the beautiful life she is living. This is what motivates her to keep fighting so that one day we can live in a world without ALS.
Click here to join Claire and Team We Are Sharp at the 2023 Southern Oregon Walk to Defeat ALS.
Learn more about our fundraising events- Walk, Ride, and Ski!