Sixteen months ago, Marla Scissors had no idea that she was going to be fighting for her life. This bright, talented, independent, 38-year-old woman learned she was facing a life-ending diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), most commonly-known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Now as she deals with the daily challenges of atrophying muscles, taking away more and more of her independence and her life, her friends have come together to demonstrate how much she means to them.

On Sunday, Jan. 6, 3-5 p.m. at Congregation Shaare Emeth, Scissors’s friends are throwing her one heck of a party. “You Take The Cake” is a combination love-fest for Scissors and fund raiser for Muscular Dystrophy Association’s ALS Division.

“I’m counting down the days,” Scissors said. “I’m sure it’s going to be a fun party because my friends are planning it.”

If it’s true a person can be judged by the company she keeps, then Scissors is an extraordinary person to have so many people band together to plan this party. Ten women who have known Marla for as far back as 25 years tapped their resources, creativity, and expertise to create this special event.

“Karen [Becker Sher] came to me with an idea to raise money for Marla,” Susan Lipsitz Cohen, friend of Scissors and one of the party organizers, said. “We got together, came up with an idea and then decided to call our friends who are event planners.” The planning began in August and by taking advantage of each woman’s strengths the event soon grew.

“We kind of formed a committee based on some of our experiences,” Cathy Sullivan, friend of Scissors and one of the organizers, said. “I’m a fund raiser for the American Red Cross, Susan is director of alumni relations for UMSL, and Ann Mayer Eisen is a graphic artist who did a phenomenal job designing the invitation.”

The committee approached the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) ALS division about the event. MDA provided stamps for 400 invitations and will be staffing the actual event, handling donations, and sending out tax letters. While staff members at the MDA office are familiar with families who plan events, what Scissors’s friends are doing is remarkable. “When I look at their level of commitment and enthusiasm and professionalism I’m wowed!” Debbie King, MDA ALS division health care service coordinator, said. “The planning is going smoothly and is well-organized.”

“You Take the Cake” will celebrate Scissors’ talents and vocation as a pastry chef. Along with a silent auction for some extravagant desserts and gifts, kids will be treated to a cake walk, and Ha-Shemesh and Shir Ami will provide the music.

“One of the auction highlights will be items baked in Marla’s own kitchen,” Cohen said. “Since her arms are weak, she’ll be supervising others to do the baking.” Scissors is a graduate of the prestigious Culinary Institute of America.

Desserts and gift certificates are being donated for the silent auction by such renowned places as Sugary Baking Company, Wapango, Lake Forest Confections, and Designing Chefs Catering Company, among others. Midwest Martial Arts donated a month’s worth of aerobic kickboxing classes to help attendees work off the rich desserts.

Companion, where Scissors was a pastry chef, is donating food for the event, desserts for the auction, and cookies for kids to decorate. Serendipity is donating ice cream; Kaldi’s Coffeehouse is donating a coffee bar; Minion Caf é is donating food; and Kohn’s Kosher Market is donating tuna and egg salads.

Sullivan’s goal for the event is to raise awareness about ALS and what Scissors is going through, and to raise money for MDA ALS division. “We want to honor Marla,” Sullivan said. “What an incredible friend, sister, aunt and daughter she is. We really love her.”

The feelings go both ways.

“I have an amazing group of friends and family,” Scissors said. “I don’t know what I did to deserve all of this love. They shop, bring ice cream, cook, and do anything I need. Two of my friends started a meal plan. They send gift certificates and even send bagels from New York.” She says most of these friends are from youth group days when they belonged to the North American Federation of Temple Youth.

Cohen says one of the silver linings of this tragic situation is it has brought the youth group community together. “A friend of ours who grew up in Peoria, who we all met at a youth group conference back then, now lives in New Jersey,” Cohen said. “She developed a list of who’s bringing Marla her meals. She organized a meal plan all the way from May to January. People are taking Marla shopping and to get manicures and pedicures, and sending her baked goods.”

While Scissors is taking in all of this love and attention, she also is dealing with the realities of ALS. “It takes a long time to come to grips with this,” Scissors said. “The disease progression is coming very quickly for me and as I’m going through fighting it I also have to come to terms with it.” Even though she did not receive a formal diagnosis of ALS until this past spring, she started noticing a weakness in her left leg in August of 2006. Since there is no specific test for ALS, she had to endure a battery of tests to rule out other possibilities such as Multiple Sclerosis. After a spinal tap, MRIs, lots of blood analyses, an EMG, and a muscle biopsy, Scissors finally received the shocking news.

“I have the ability to come to terms with my life so that when the end does come, I can have this sense of peace,” Scissors said. “I want to clear up relationships and express all of my feelings so people know that I love them. I am choosing to control as much of the dying process as possible. I want the quality of my life to be as good as possible according to my terms.” With caregivers at her home 17 out of 24 hours and help from Extra Hands, an organization founded by another ALS patient Jack Orchard (see sidebar on page 3), Scissors is able to spend time with her friends, family and 20-month-old nephew whom she adores.

Scissors wants people to come to the event in order to raise their awareness of ALS and how it impinges on patients’ lives. She believes that since ALS affects a small portion of the population, 5,000 a year, it’s harder to raise funding for research.

“She’s one of those people who is a wonderful friend, who’s caring, and always knows the right things to say,” Cohen said. “She will do anything for any of her friends. She’s very supportive.” Sullivan echoes this sentiment: “She’s an amazing person…a lot of spirit and grace and dignity when faced with a lot of challenges.”

Cohen acknowledged what an unusual event “You Take the Cake” will be. “You don’t get this opportunity often, to show someone how much you love her,” Cohen. “It’s brought together the community; I’ve been lucky enough to reconnect with people I haven’t seen in a long time.”

While the details of the party are a secret for Scissors, she’s overwhelmed with emotions. “It still is mind-boggling that they would put it together,” she said, “and the words on the invitation and the time they’re all spending is really unbelievable.”

As the saying goes: “You are judged by the company you keep.”

To purchase tickets for the event, contact the Muscular Dystrophy Association at 314-962-0023 or [email protected]. Direct questions to Karen Becker Sher at 314-726-5077 or [email protected]. Tickets start at $10 per adult and $50 per family.