Hermosa Beach Resident Tom Horton to Receive ALS Commitment to Cures Award

Local advocate honored for research committee work following mother's death and friend Greg Browning's ALS journey

Hermosa Beach resident Tom Horton will receive the 2026 Essey Commitment to Cures Award from the ALS Network at the organization's Champions for Cures and Care gala on January 24 at the Pasadena Convention Center.

Horton, who serves on the ALS Network's Community Research Committee, has been a dedicated advocate for ALS research and patient services since his mother, Peacha Horton, died from the disease in 2005. His advocacy intensified following the August 2023 diagnosis of longtime friend Greg Browning, a South Bay surf legend who died in April 2025 at age 50. Browning was a student in Peacha Horton's third-grade class at North School in Hermosa Beach.

"Greg said she was one of his favorite teachers," Horton wrote in a fundraising appeal.

The Commitment to Cures Award recognizes Horton's contributions to advancing the ALS Network's global research program through his work on the Community Research Committee, which provides guidance and feedback to ensure research funding targets the most impactful projects. The committee consists entirely of volunteers with lived ALS experience, either as patients or caregivers.

"The Community Research Committee embodies our belief that people affected by ALS must have a voice in shaping the research that will change the future," said Sheri Strahl, president and CEO of the ALS Network.

What is ALS ? (click to find out more)

The basics:

Fatal neurodegenerative disease that attacks nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord
Also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease
Every 90 minutes, someone is diagnosed with ALS and someone dies from it
Approximately 5,600 people diagnosed annually in the U.S.

How it affects patients:

Progressive loss of ability to walk, move, speak, swallow, and breathe
Mental acuity and senses remain completely intact throughout
Patients describe it as "being trapped inside a body that is failing you"

Who gets it:

Most people develop ALS between ages 40-70 (average age at diagnosis: 55)
Cases do occur in people in their 20s and 30s
20% more common in men than women (though gap narrows with age)
Military veterans are twice as likely to develop ALS (reason unknown)

Genetics:

90% of cases occur without any known family history or genetic cause
Only 10% are inherited through a mutated gene

Prognosis:

Average life expectancy: 2-5 years from diagnosis
50% of patients live at least 3 or more years
20% live 5 years or more
Up to 10% live more than 10 years
Some evidence suggests people are living longer due to clinical management and treatments like riluzole

Current state of treatment:

No known cure
A few FDA-approved treatments exist, but none are meaningfully effective at slowing progression
New biomarkers continue to be identified
Emerging technologies like liquid biopsy offer promise for future research

Notable people with ALS: Lou Gehrig, Stephen Hawking, Dwight Clark, Stephen Hillenburg (SpongeBob creator), Steve Gleason, O.J. Brigance, and many others

Horton brings a unique perspective to the committee through his professional work at Caris Life Sciences, where his experience with liquid biopsy technology for cancer diagnostics has given him insight into emerging technologies that could revolutionize ALS research. Liquid biopsy approaches, which analyze biomarkers in blood samples, offer promising potential for identifying ALS biomarkers and accelerating the development of effective treatments.

"The more I learn about liquid biopsy technology, the more excited I get about its contribution," Horton wrote, noting that while the technology is currently used in cancer treatment, its evolution toward neurodegenerative diseases represents a significant frontier. "I want to be on the field when that becomes a reality, not in the stands."

His mother's ALS diagnosis took over a year to confirm, highlighting the challenges physicians face in identifying the disease. Since then, research funded in part by the viral Ice Bucket Challenge has identified numerous new biomarkers beyond the familial SOD1 gene, though no effective treatments to slow disease progression have emerged. 90% of ALS cases appear without any familial history or mutated gene.

Horton has channeled his advocacy into endurance athletics for 18 years, completing the 32-mile Catalina Classic Paddleboard Race annually along with other grueling events including the Molokai to Oahu relay, the Chattajack 32-mile race, and the Honolulu Marathon to raise funds for ALS research and patient services.

"I've added these other endurance events out of respect for what ALS patients endure on a daily basis," Horton wrote, noting that ALS patients describe the experience as "being trapped inside a body that is failing you, with no effective way to stop the downward trend."

Browning, who grew up in Hermosa Beach and was inducted into the city's Surfers Walk of Fame in 2024, was a professional surfer and member of the Momentum Generation who transitioned into filmmaking, creating the beloved Drive Thru series.

Local surf hero Greg Browning died of ALS last year, aged just 50

When Horton encouraged Browning to complete bucket list items before the disease progressed, Browning responded: "I don't have a bucket list. My whole life has been amazing with nothing left to do on a wish list. I just want to spend my remaining days with family and friends, hearing surf stories, fart jokes, having as much fun as possible."

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, is a fatal neurodegenerative illness affecting nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. Patients progressively lose the ability to walk, move, speak, swallow, and breathe while mental acuity remains intact. Average life expectancy is two to five years from diagnosis. Veterans face twice the risk of the general population, though the reasons remain unclear.

The January 24 gala will feature cocktails, wine tasting, silent and live auctions, dinner, and entertainment. Actor Eric Dane has been named ALS Network's Advocate of the Year. Proceeds support care services, public policy advocacy, and research.

Tickets and sponsorship information are available at ALSChampions.org. Those interested in supporting Horton's fundraising efforts can visit paddlerun2cureals.org.

About the ALS Network
The ALS Network partners with the ALS community to drive the discovery of prevention strategies, treatments, and cures for ALS; provide access to quality care and connection; and promote initiatives to improve health outcomes.

The ALS Network, formerly ALS Golden West, serves people with ALS and their families throughout California, Hawaii and beyond.

EVENT DETAILS:
Pasadena Convention Center Ballroom: 300 E Green St, Pasadena, CA 91101
6:30 PM - Wine Tasting, Cocktails and Silent Auction
7:30 PM - Dinner, Entertainment, Ceremony. Cocktail Attire
Individual tickets can be purchased at ALSChampions.org