ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. People diagnosed with this disease end up losing almost all control over themselves physically. There are few effective treatments for ALS and no cure.
According to the ALS Society of Canada, more than 200,000 people around the world are living with ALS. An estimated 4,000 Canadians are currently living with ALS, and each year, approximately 1,000 Canadians die from ALS. A similar number of Canadians are diagnosed with ALS each year. Eighty per cent of people with ALS die within two to five years of diagnosis.
ALS has commonly also been called Lou Gehrig’s Disease after the legendary baseball player whose career was cut short due to it. World-renowned astrophysicist Stephen Hawking also had ALS.
Currently, there are at least three people living in or around Vankleek Hill with ALS. The ALS Society of Canada provides valuable resources to assist patients and their families, and to fund research into treatment, and hopefully a cure.
On Friday, October 24, I would personally like to invite you to support your neighbours, friends, and family in our community who have ALS, and to show your support for reliable, accurate local news and stories of community life. From every new subscription sold to The Review on October 24, $5 will be donated to the ALS Society of Canada.
At The Review, Connecting Communities is what we do. Show your support on October 24 by discovering your local newspaper and helping friends and neighbours in need.
James Morgan
Publisher/Editor
The Review
