On Sunday, September 7th, at Zervas Elementary School in Newton, MA, the ALS community will gather to participate in the 2025 ALS Walk for Research. The ALS Walk for Research, a scenic three-mile walk, roll, or stroll, benefits an incredible cause—the critical research to discover treatment and cures for ALS at the ALS Therapy Development Institute (ALS TDI).

In anticipation of this year’s walk, we’re interviewing the leaders of some of the event’s biggest and most successful teams. Today, we’re joined by Cory Fanelli of the team Chip Fanelli Fan Club.


ALS TDI: First off, can you introduce yourself and your connection to ALS?

Cory Fanelli: My connection to ALS is through my husband, Chip Fanelli. He was diagnosed with ALS in 2013. It was such a shock, as I’m sure it is with everyone. He was a photographer, and it first became apparent in his hands. He first went to the doctor when he noticed he was having trouble moving the shutter. He’d been going to the doctor for three months before he even told me. I think he suspected something was up. It was just before the last test that he took me with him to get the diagnosis, and he was just petrified. 

He was willing to go through clinical trials. He did some trials through Mass General Hospital. But he wasn’t into things like going to fundraising walks. He was very private about it. So, it wasn’t until after he passed that we got involved in things like that.

Every year since then, we’ve been doing walks and participating in fundraisers. I didn’t become aware of ALS TDI until a little more than a year ago. I volunteered at the Tri-State Trek and then learned about the ALS Walk for Research. We already had a large group of friends who have been doing walks with us every fall, about 15 to 20 people. We suggested we do this walk last year, and we raised a good amount of money, close to $10,000. We have a good amount of fundraising capacity, and we try to do one big fundraiser per year.

Who else is on your team, and how did you come together?

It all stems from my family. Primarily, it's my two sons, Charlie and Colin, and then my sister and her family, Tracy and Dave, and their children, Jack and Lucy. I also have two nieces from California who have both moved here. 

From that point, it's all their friends and family. What I love is that both my sons have gotten married, and one of them has moved down to Maryland. They have a group down there that walks, and they donate to whoever we are raising money for at that time. It's a network that started with our family and has kept growing and growing, all through friends and family. 

What has your experience participating in the ALS Walk for Research been like? 

It's wonderful. It's such a warm, friendly event. Everybody is just so kind. You feel like you're all working towards one goal. Even though you might not know the person who's in the team next to you, you feel like you know each other. You want to say, “Tell me your story.” Even the people from ALS TDI—many of them are working because they know someone with ALS. It might be someone's parent or spouse's parent, or brother. Everyone has some unfortunate reason to be close to the event, and there’s also an optimism behind it.

Why do you think it’s important to support ALS TDI through fundraisers like the ALS Walk for Research?

I got to know them after I went to their open house at the lab, and I think that their whole approach to research is amazing. They seem to be getting some results. I'm just impressed with how they've gone about it, how they seem to be fast-tracking it. 

What would you say to someone who is thinking about participating in this walk?

Because it’s a smaller walk and a smaller organization, you can become intimately involved with ALS TDI. You can attend the open house and visit the lab. You can participate and see what they're doing. You can get to know the people. I think that's really fascinating and interesting. It helps you understand where your money and the money that you’re helping to raise is going. It’s been enlightening for me. 

To learn more and sign up for the 2025 Walk for Research on Sunday, September 7, 2025, at 10:00 am at Zervas Elementary School in Newton, MA, click here.

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