ALS Society of Canada hosts its First Annual ALS Yoga Challenge

May 23, 2012 - PRLog -- Markham, ON, May 23, 2012 – ALS Society of Canada will be holding its first ALS Yoga Challenge fundraising event on August 18, 2012, both online and at the Angus Glen Community Centre in Markham, ON, and is asking you to participate and move your body for those who can’t.

Beginning at 8 a.m. and running until 2 p.m., the event will feature six back-to-back yoga classes taught by certified yoga instructors. Those who are not in the Greater Toronto Area or are unable to attend the event can still build awareness and raise funds for ALS research, as we will be broadcasting the classes in real-time through a webcast, which will allow people participate in the event from the comfort of their own home.

“We are very excited about launching this new event and encourage people to participate from across Canada,” says Enzo Raponi, director of development, ALS Canada. “Most people who are diagnosed with ALS lose the ability to use their arms and legs in the first two years of the disease, which is why we are challenging everyone to try something new while raising much-needed funds for research into treatments and a cure for ALS, and to help those living with this devastating disease.”

Register for the ALS Yoga Challenge as an individual or create a fundraising team with your friends, family, or colleagues. Those who choose to participate online will receive an email with instructions before the event, explaining how to access the webcast.

Upon registering, participants are encouraged to set up online fundraising pages and get pledges for their participation in this challenging event. ALS Canada will distribute prizes to our top fundraisers after the event, available at the following levels:
       $500 – One (1) $50 gift card to Cineplex Odeon
    $1,000 – One (1) professional yoga mat
    $2,500 – One (1) $150 gift card to Lululemon Athletica
    $5,000 – One (1) iPod Touch with accompanying arm band

For more information on the event, the types of yoga which will be featured and for registration, please visit http://www.als.ca/ALSYogaChallenge. If you’re able to help ALS Canada advertise this event by posting a poster in your community or workplace, please contact Kim Wosnick at 1-800-267-4257 x 219 or kw@als.ca.

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 persons living with ALS, and provides information to build awareness about the disease.

Please help us put an end to this devastating disease.

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For more information, please contact:

Kim Wosnick
Events Co-ordinator
ALS Society of Canada
1-800-267-4257 ext. 219
kw@als.ca