ALS Society To Hold Candlelight Vigil On Parliament Hill June 4

May 23, 2012 - PRLog -- MARKHAM, ON, May 23, 2012 – ALS Society of Canada will be going to Ottawa on June 4 and 5 to meet with parliamentarians to discuss the changes it would like to see in the compassionate care benefits (CCB) program and provide politicians with an update on important ALS research.

On Monday, June 4, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., people living with ALS, their families, current and former caregivers, board members, researchers, and politicians will be lighting 3,000 candles for every person living with ALS in Canada today. The evening vigil on Parliament Hill will provide an opportunity for each person to raise a candle in memory of loved ones who have passed away from ALS and to honour those who continue to live with the disease. Also joining the event will be the renowned Watoto Children’s Choir, whose audiences have included princes and prime ministers, warming hearts wherever they go.

On Tuesday, June 5, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., meetings will be held between ALS delegates and Members of Parliament, Senators and the civil service. ALS delegates include those living with ALS from across Canada, their caregivers, researchers, board members and volunteers. The Society will also be holding a reception for Members of Parliament, Senators and Bureaucrats from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

** ALS Society of Canada spokespeople are available to speak with reporters at the June 4 evening vigil or on June 5th, regarding the changes needed in the Compassionate Care Benefits (CCB) program **

ALS, more commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a rapidly progressive and fatal neuromuscular disease that causes the degeneration of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. As the nerve cells die, people with ALS lose control of their muscles, which makes breathing, eating and even smiling almost impossible. Eighty per cent of those diagnosed will die within two to five years.

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.




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For more information, please contact:
Bobbi Greenberg
Director of Communications
ALS Society of Canada
1-800-267-4257 ext. 208
bg@als.ca