ALS

June is ALS Awareness Month—a time to shine a light on Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, a progressive and fatal neurological disease that affects nerve cells controlling voluntary muscles. Over time, people with ALS lose the ability to walk, talk, eat, and eventually breathe.

Here in Alberta, ALS touches the lives of many families. About 3,000 Canadians are living with the disease at any given time, and sadly, 2–3 people in Canada die from ALS every single day. Most cases have no known cause or family history, and while there is currently no cure, new treatments and community support offer hope.

Organizations like the ALS Society of Alberta are working hard to raise awareness, fund research, and provide essential services to those affected. Through campaigns like #MakingItPossible and the Walk Together for ALS, Albertans are showing what it means to support each other.

This June, I’m proud to give a damn about ALS. Let’s raise awareness, stand with those fighting, and push for a future with better treatments—and one day, a cure.