DENVER -- Coloradans are walking to make a difference.

Each year the ALS Association sponsors walks nationwide.

They are a way to help raise awareness and research money for ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. You may know it as Lou Gehrig's disease.

"When people are given the diagnosis of ALS, they are given two to five years to live. It is a terminal illness," said Leslie Ryan, patient services director for the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the ALS Association.

ALS is essentially a progressive paralysis. The signals between muscles and the brain begin to fail, leaving patients unable to walk, feed themselves, or even talk, yet their minds are just fine.

ALS traps people in their own bodies.

"The reason I walk is so those people can get the help that I know they're going to need," said Volunteer Brad Renton.

Brad's wife, Deb, died from the disease, so he is passionate about the annual Walk to Defeat ALS.

"He has just thrown his life into this and we're very lucky," said Ryan.

Renton forms a group of walkers each year that raises a lot of money for the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the ALS Association.

Over the least several years Renton's Walkers have raised more than $50,000.

ALS patients and their families are forever grateful.

"The walk is huge, not only as advertising and making people aware of the disease, but also to raise money to hopefully someday combat this," said Julie Sorlie, whose mom battled ALS.

There are two ALS walks in Colorado:

Saturday, September 12 at Denver's City Park from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Sunday, September 20 on the Colorado State University oval from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The walks are free, but donations are encouraged.

You can sign-up the day of the events.

For more information visit www.alscolorado.org