Mary Beth Geise - "The ALS Nurse"

While caring for her first ALS patient in 1983, Mary Beth Geise discovered what would become her life's passion: advocacy for the home care needs of those suffering from ALS. For nearly 22 years, Mary Beth has dedicated her career to this special group and their families. Today, Mary Beth has emerged as a nationally renowned expert on ALS home care.

In 1986, Mary Beth opened a home health agency in Houston, Texas, specializing in ALS care. Her agency hired and trained nurses and PCAs to act as competent and reliable caregivers to ALS families. From routine tasks such as proper exercise and lifting, to the more complex job of tracheotomy care, maintaining ventilator equipment, responding to emergency breathing problems. The challenges of proper nutritional guidance with swallowing difficulties, preparing for a gastrostomy (feeding tubes- PEG) and maintaining bowel programs are just a few of Mary Beth's specialties. Discharge planners, insurance case managers, and social workers often sought out Mary Beth. The success of her work garnered attention in the marketplace, and in 1999 the national firm, Nursefinders, acquired her agency.

Aside from her personal experience both with her agency, and as a nurse herself, Mary Beth has a growing professional involvement with many organizations and institutions. Mary Beth served on the MDA Board in Houston, and has been a speaker for ALSA since 1988. She has traveled the country, and also internationally, acting as a consultant to groups in need of ALS patient care education. Mary Beth's expertise was sought after in 1991 by an American living in Japan with ALS. She worked diligently with the small remote village to "qualify the caregivers" like farmers and fisherman on the proper care for this ventilator-dependent patient. Her work has included consultations with numerous drug companies, in particular, Sanofi-Aventis for Rilutek, the only FDA drug approved to treat ALS. Mary Beth is also much sought after for speaking engagements, most recently presenting to a group of 200 nurses in Medicare/Palmetto, S. C. on Home Care for ALS.

Mary Beth's extensive professional experience is matched with her devotion to the ALS community. (Click here to learn more.)

Mary Beth strives each day to give ALS patients and their families hope. She has developed techniques and strategies that empower the patient, offering practical suggestions and numerous recommendations for handling the day to day issues like mobility, nutrition, exercise and symptom management. Speech and swallow issues, which are most challenging, Mary Beth works relentlessly to solve.

Mary Beth's rare talent is her ability to interact effectively and enthusiastically with all those involved in the ALS experience ... be it consulting with one's medical team, speaking to a support group (live or by tele-con) or at a medical conference. Most importantly, at the bedside of the ALS patient and with their family's cares and concerns, Mary Beth is at her best. She relishes the challenge of figuring out how to overcome obstacles so all ALS patients and their families can truly LIVE WITH HOPE.

Her unique experience, dedication, and deep commitment to this community of patients and their families make her seem like one of the family and has earned her the title "The ALS Nurse".