Stephen Hillenburg, creator of the long-running hit Nickelodeon series
'SpongeBob SquarePants, has revealed that he has been diagnosed with the
neurodegenerative disease ALS.
The 55-year-old animator shared a statement through Variety, announcing
the diagnosis and his plan to continue working on the series, which has been on
the air since 1999.
'I wanted people to hear directly from me that I have been diagnosed
with ALS.,' the statement reads. 'Anyone who knows me knows that I will
continue to work on ‘SpongeBob SquarePants’ and my other passions for as long
as I am able. My family and I are grateful for the outpouring of love and
support. We ask that our sincere request for privacy be honored during this
time.'
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, or ALS, is a neuro-degenerative disease
that affects the neurons in the brain which control voluntary motor
functions.
There is no known cure, and very little treatment available for those
diagnosed. While the life expectancy for those diagnosed is extremely short,
roughly 10% of sufferers live a decade or longer after detection of the
disease.
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