News & Stories
Friendship Through ‘Helping Hands’: Kelly Burnham and Rebecca Ralston
When Kelly was diagnosed with ALS at just 30 years old, the weight of what lay ahead felt overwhelming. She has familial ALS, a hereditary form of ALS that accounts for 5-10% of all ALS cases. Her father died from the disease two years ago, and other relatives have been affected as well. Kelly was diagnosed just the day after her mother passed away from cancer.
“How I’m 36 and on hospice is beyond me,” Kelly said. “It’s scary to see my dad die from ALS, and scary to see what’s next for me.”
Kelly was raised in Dallas, Oregon. Growing up, she loved to babysit and sold fabric at a sewing shop. She especially liked sewing quilts and making art, including acrylic painting and pottery – her mom had worked at a college bookstore as an art supplier.
Today, Kelly lives in an adult foster care home in Salem. While she receives practical care and assistance through the foster home, she receives mental and emotional support from her two brothers, her church community, and ALS Northwest. ALS has changed many parts of her life, but it hasn’t taken away her desire for connection.
That’s where ALS Northwest’s Helping Hands volunteer program comes in.
Through Helping Hands, a volunteer is thoughtfully matched to a person living with ALS to provide practical help, companionship, and emotional support. For Kelly, that match was Rebecca Ralston. (Pictured: Kelly and Rebecca.)
“I’m really glad I know Rebecca,” Kelly said. “It’s become a friendship. She understands what it’s like.”
Rebecca began volunteering with Helping Hands in January 2024, driven by her own personal connection to ALS. Her older sister, Carol, lived with ALS in the Boston area.
“I was very frustrated that I couldn’t be a more regular part of my sister’s life after her diagnosis,” Rebecca shared. “So I decided the best way to cope with that frustration was by helping someone here who had ALS.”
ALS Northwest’s Volunteer Coordinator Annie Teer worked closely with Rebecca to find the right match, and Kelly turned out to be exactly that. January 2026 marks their two-year anniversary of being paired together.
At first, Rebecca helped Kelly with practical tasks like cleaning her room. Over time, their visits naturally shifted into something deeper. Now, they have a real friendship and spend much of their time talking. Rebecca also often brings her guitar and plays songs for Kelly.
“I really appreciate someone who understands what’s going on,” Kelly said.
That understanding runs both ways. After Carol passed away on November 24, 2024, Helping Hands took on even greater meaning.
“I started volunteering in honor of my big sister Carol,” Rebecca said. “And now I continue it in her memory.”
Through Helping Hands, Rebecca found a way to transform grief into purpose. Kelly found someone who shows up, listens, and truly understands the unique challenges of ALS.
For Kelly, programs like Helping Hands are essential to living well with ALS. Alongside the care she receives, the emotional support and companionship help remind her she’s not alone.
To others living with ALS, Kelly offers thoughts from her experience. “Get support,” Kelly said. “Support is key, because you can’t do this alone. In a journey like this, you have to have people around you who at least care – even if they don’t understand.”
Helping Hands is about exactly that: care, connection, and community. It’s about meeting people where they are, honoring their stories, and creating space for meaningful relationships.