GILBERT, AZ — A 29-year-old Gilbert man is using his longtime love of video games to raise awareness and money after being diagnosed with ALS.
Jorge de Cardenas, a Mesquite High School graduate, said he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, in June after noticing changes including a limp, hand cramps, and multiple falls.
“I didn’t have a choice in it,” de Cardenas said. “I stopped being scared, and I just decided to be brave.”
De Cardenas, a licensed behavior analyst who has worked with children with autism, created GAMINGwithALS with help from his younger brother, Daniel.
Through the Twitch channel, de Cardenas plays video games while sharing what living with ALS looks like day to day.
“It’s not about the games, it’s about the message,” de Cardenas said.
His family is part of that effort. Daniel helps manage the stream, while de Cardenas’ wife, Angely, helps with his daily needs.
The diagnosis came shortly after Jorge and Angely were married and as they were making plans for their future.
“Right now we have no idea,” Angely de Cardenas said. “But we have each other, and we have love and positivity and strength.”
GAMINGwithALS is also raising money through ALS Arizona ahead of the Scottsdale Walk ALS on Nov. 7 at Salt River Fields. The team has surpassed its $10,000 fundraising goal, according to ALS Arizona.
Angie Tigges, vice president of development for ALS Arizona, said de Cardenas is helping introduce the disease to a younger audience.
“There’s so many people that don’t understand what ALS is, and he’s educating a whole new demographic,” Tigges said.
For de Cardenas, sharing his experience is about more than his own diagnosis.
“I feel like ALS needs a voice,” he said. “And I feel like I could be a voice for ALS.”
