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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