Ty Herndon and former NFL football player Kevin Turner have been announced as honorary co-chairs for the 10th annual CVS/pharmacy and ALS Therapy Alliance (ATA) “Researching A Cure” ALS fundraising campaign.

As co-chairs, Herndon and Turner appear in the CVS/pharmacy “Researching A Cure” in-store video and radio spots, running June 5-25 in approximately 7,200 CVS/pharmacy locations across the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Herndon’s inspirational “Journey On” song and video are also featured prominently in this year’s national fundraising campaign, which raises awareness about the ALS disease and encourages CVS/pharmacy customers to donate $1 at the checkout register and online to help fund critical ALS research.

“Journey On” is the title track and most recent single from Herndon’s Grammy Award-nominated and Dove Award-winning album, Journey On. The uplifting message of the song caught the attention last year of former NFL football player Kevin Turner, who was diagnosed with ALS in May 2010. “Journey On” has since become the official song for Turner’s nonprofit ALS organization, The Kevin Turner Foundation, and is a natural fit for this year’s “Researching A Cure” campaign, says Turner, who also stars in the official “Journey On” music video with two of his children.

“Ty and I are both really excited about our involvement with the ‘Researching A Cure’ campaign,” says Turner, who played eight seasons in the NFL with the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles. “We’re extremely appreciative of the opportunity to partner with CVS/pharmacy and the ALS Therapy Alliance to raise awareness about this horrible disease, and hopefully ‘Journey On’ will connect with people and urge them into action the same way it did for me.”

“When I wrote ‘Journey On,’ I was writing about some of the personal struggles that I was experiencing in my life, but in the last year or so, I’ve come to realize that this song has a universal meaning that can be applied to virtually any kind of challenge that people may be facing. Kevin really opened my eyes to that, and we are committed to working with CVS/pharmacy and the ATA to opening everyone’s eyes about ALS.”

Since 2002, CVS/pharmacy has raised nearly $24 million for ALS research through its partnership with the ALS Therapy Alliance. In addition to the CVS/pharmacy in-store video and radio spots, individuals may visit www.ResearchingACure.org to learn more about this year’s fundraising efforts and view the “Researching A Cure” video or make a donation.

“We at CVS/pharmacy are proud to have former NFL running back Kevin Turner and Country star Ty Herndon joining us this year to help raise awareness about ALS,” said Jon Roberts, executive vice president for CVS Caremark. “I know how difficult it can be to fight this terrible disease, and I’m amazed by Kevin’s courage and Ty’s commitment to fundraising for ALS research. The stories of those suffering from ALS have an impact on all of us at CVS/pharmacy and our customers. I want to thank them for creating awareness of ALS and motivating CVS/pharmacy customers to donate to this very important campaign.”

“The ALS Therapy Alliance is delighted to join forces with Kevin Turner and Ty Herndon in this effort to raise new funding for ALS research. Thanks to CVS/pharmacy, our research program has benefited scores of ALS scientists and laboratories. This new partnership will certainly enhance the research program,” said Dr. Robert Brown, who heads the Scientific Advisory Board of the ALS Therapy Alliance.

ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) is a neurodegenerative disorder that is characterized by progressive degeneration of motor nerves in the brain and spinal cord, typically leading to paralysis and death within four to six years. There is no known cause or cure for ALS, which affects approximately 25,000 Americans, with 5,000 new cases diagnosed each year.

For more information, visit www.ResearchingACure.org, www.CVS.com or www.ALSTherapyAlliance.org.

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