I BEEN FIGHTING FOR THIS DAY FOR 20 YEARS,PLEASE READ WHAT MY FRIENDS SAID ABOUT ME,THANKS MARCThe Human bodies ravaged by incurable illness sometimes ignore the prognosis and endure.

In the best cases, that means years longer in this world: babies cradled, secrets confided, dreams realized.

The disease attacking Marc Levison's nervous system usually gives people three to five years.

Since his first symptoms appeared, he has celebrated 20 birthdays; most recently, his 62th. Brent and Kevin, his sons, have grown into men.

He has been before the Food and Drug Administration to fight for approval of a drug to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, more commonly known as ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease.

He has raised more than $200,000 to pay for researchers seeking a cure.

In Bexley, he has become a familiar face -- a gadabout, his wife, Eileen, would say. He frequents the Starbucks on Main Street; the library; the Wexner Heritage House; and Sunrise Senior Living, where he spent about a year while Eileen was hospitalized with pulmonary lymphoma.

He wheels around his office -- his dog, Toby, in his lap -- and arduously types messages, "Marc's Thoughts for Today," that he sends to friends, family members and supporters.

"Sure I am only a small wave as in water, but if everyone tries, you can overcome anything," he wrote this month.

Every Sunday Labor Day, he will complete the 7th 5K in his honor. He will ride his motorized wheelchair and expects to finish in about 28 minutes, a minute slower than he once was able to run.

He loves seeing signs around town promoting the race, the paper baseballs in the window of Flavors Eatery, signifying how much money has been donated to research.

Each year, at the starting line, "I think about everyone who gave up their time to help me out," he said recently, his eyes welling with tears.

"How can one person make a difference in so many lives? That is unreal," he said, slowly spelling the last few words to make them more easily understood.

Finding a cure for ALS has become Levison's life work. He used to be an electrician, work he said he would do now free if his body would let him.

Nobody is sure why he has had so much time.

Jerry Mendell, a neurologist at Children's Hospital who is Levison's longtime doctor, said science explains some of it.

The disease first affected Levison's upper motor neurons, nerve cells that start in the brain and run through the spinal cord.

Usually, ALS first attacks the lower motor neurons, nerve cells that start in the spinal cord or brain stem and end at the muscle fibers. Malfunctioning lower motor neurons lead to respiratory problems, which signal the end for most people who have ALS.

"He's a man on a mission and it keeps him going every day," Mendell said of Levison. "I hope he completes his mission."

Perhaps the most well-known longtime survivor of ALS is scientist Stephen Hawking, who is now 67 and was diagnosed at 23.

There is no known cause or cure for ALS and only one federally approved medicine to treat the symptoms.

"I've never known anyone who has gone through a disease progression like (Levison) has," said Marlin Seymour, executive director of the ALS Association's Central and Southern Ohio chapter.

At first, Levison and his wife went on with life as normal after doctors identified his ALS.

"Marc was still so busy and involved and active, it wasn't something that we sat around thinking about," Eileen said.

Then came a cane, a walker, a wheelchair. His speech began to seriously deteriorate about four years ago.

"It started to get really scary," said the Levison's older son, Brent, who is 38 and lives in Florida.

He marvels at his father's drive. Every day that he can, Marc makes his rounds in town. Despite deteriorated muscles in his arms and hands, he sends e-mails, even if it takes half a day, Brent said.

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