Les Hart receives Brett Yerex Exceptional Advocacy Award

April 29, 2012 - PRLog -- Les Hart receives Brett Yerex Exceptional Advocacy Award

MARKHAM, ON, April 26, 2012 – Richmond, BC resident Les Hart (posthumously) will be awarded the ALS Society of Canada’s Brett Yerex Exceptional Advocacy Award during an awards ceremony to be held at the Sheraton Gateway Hotel, Toronto, on April 28.

From the beginning of his ALS journey, Hart was an advocate for others living with ALS and their caregivers. Hart served on the ALS Society of British Columbia & Yukon’s board and was active on the patient services and advocacy committees.

ALS BC received a $100,000 grant because of Hart’s support of a Hydrecs application for equipment funding and his attendance at the judging panel. “When Les presented to the panel, the hairs on my arms stood up as I was so moved by his presentation,” said one of the Hydrecs grant committee members.

Hart exemplified the many qualities of Brett Yerex. After reading a short biography of Brett Yerex, Jim McEwen, past president of ALS BC, said of Hart, “Like Brett, Les Hart was a young man, active in sports and other activities, when he was diagnosed with ALS. Also like Brett, Les has chosen to rise above the limitations of the disease, to rise above the horrible and progressive toll it takes at a personal level, and to advocate for those living with ALS, to the very best of his abilities. He succeeded.”

Hart’s battle with ALS ended on January 30 of this year. He learned of his nomination for the award earlier. “His eyes lit up at the news,” said Wendy Toyer, executive director, ALS BC &Yukon.

The Brett Yerex Exceptional Advocacy Award recognizes an exceptional advocacy initiative that sought to improve the quality of life for people living with ALS during 2010. This award honours the work and commitment of Brett Yerex, who died of ALS on January 4, 2004.

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 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:


Wendy Toyer
Executive Director
ALS Society of British Columbia & Yukon
604-685-0737
wendy@alsbc.ca

Bobbi Greenberg
Director of Communications
ALS Society of Canada
1-800-267-4257 ext. 208
bg@als.ca