The folks over at General Hospital have had an incredibly tough year. From heartbreaking losses among the cast to health scares, it hasn’t been easy. Sometimes, though, as Nancy Lee Grahn just demonstrated, even when things are looking dire, we can still fight to make them better.

Alexis’ portrayer took to Instagram to share something from her “very good, sweet friend,” Michelle C. Strojny, who was diagnosed with ALS (also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease) in 2018. “Since that moment,” Grahn shares in her video, “she’s been fighting for her life with nothing but grace, fierceness, dignity and positivity. And at the same time, she’s also been fighting for everybody else with ALS.”

Strojny began Rise Against ALS to raise awareness and advocacy and help raise funds for research and care. The disease, as Grahn puts it, “is not incurable, it’s just underfunded. So we need to do better. We need to work harder.”

Check out the full video below to find out about Rise Against ALS’ Decades Dance Fundraiser and how you can help put an end to the disease.

The request resonated with so many bereaved fans as they shared their own losses as they’ve had to say goodbye to loved ones claimed by ALS. But as heartbreaking as it’s been to say goodbye to so many beloved friends and family members, knowing that folks are fighting to put an end to the disease lifted countless hearts.

It’s claimed so many lives, but some day, as Grahn suggested, there’s no doubt we’ll find a cure. We just need to pull together and help make it happen. The actresses ended her video with a simple plea: “Let’s help Michelle find a cure for ALS.”

That’s something we can all get behind.

Take a look at our photo gallery of the storylines tackled by soap operas that helped raise awareness and make a real difference in folks’ lives. 

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