June brings ALS Awareness

June 4, 2009 - PRLog -- TORONTO, CANADA- June is ALS Awareness Month in Canada. Various activities will be held across Canada in recognition of ALS Awareness Month. Public awareness and fundraising campaigns, including the WALK for ALS, will be carried out across Canada.

“ALS Awareness Month creates the opportunity to increase public awareness about ALS and to raise funds for much needed research into the cause of and cure for ALS as well as providing support to those with this fatal disease,” says David Cameron, president and CEO of the ALS Society of Canada.

The WALK for ALS is the national signature event of the ALS Society of Canada. This event helps to increase awareness of ALS and raise money for equipment and support services for people living with ALS, as well as research to find a cure. The Walks take place in more than 70 communities across Canada. To participate in a local walk or make a donation, visit the WALK web site at www.walkforals.ca.  

In addition to the Walks, Canadians may also show support by planting blue cornflowers in their gardens. Complimentary cornflower seed packets are available from ALS Canada or by contacting Indra Patterson at iwp@als.ca. Why a blue cornflower? The blue cornflower is the ALS Canada emblem because, despite its fragile appearance, it is a hardy wildflower found throughout Canada. Like the cornflower, people living with ALS show remarkable strength in coping with a devastating disease. Like the cornflower, awareness of ALS and funding for care and a cure is growing across Canada.

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ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, has no known cause, no cure and no effective treatment. It affects the nervous system and over time, people with ALS lose the ability to eat, drink, speak, walk and breathe. Eventually they cannot hug or speak to those they love. There are approximately 2,500 to 3,000 Canadians living with it today, and eighty per cent will usually die within two to five years due to respiratory failure.

The ALS Society of Canada, founded in 1977, is the only national voluntary health organization dedicated solely to the fight against ALS and support for those living with ALS. The Society funds research towards a cure for ALS, supports our provincial partners in the provision of quality care for those living with ALS, and provides information to build awareness about the disease. The vision of the ALS Society of Canada is to find a cure for ALS.