On September 26th, 2022, my dad Aussie passed away after a year and a half long battle with ALS.
To those who knew him, my dad was a storyteller, a person who could make you burst into laughter in seconds, and an individual who would go out of his way to lend a hand to help or an ear to listen. My family and I are still in awe of how he gracefully navigated his journey with the disease, remaining composed, resilient, and good humored.
In February of 2023, a group of close friends (David Edgeworth, Shawn Dodd, Mitchell McCormack) and I will be flying to Tanzania to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest summit (19,431 ft), to raise money in support of ALS.
All proceeds donated to this initiative will be spilt 50/50 between the ALS Society of Alberta’s Client Support Services and the ALS Society of Canada’s National Research Program.
The ALS Society of Alberta is an incredible community organization that provided my family and others like ours with a support network and vital equipment including wheelchairs and mechanical lifts, free of charge, allowing us to manage Dad’s care at home for as long as was possible. For context, the care and equipment cost of ALS to a family is on average between $150,000 - 250,000.
The ALS Society of Canada’s Research Program funds high-quality research to find treatments and hopefully one day a cure for the disease. While there are a handful of medications that can help slow the disease, currently there is no cure and 80% of people with ALS will die within 2-5 years of diagnosis accounting for approximately 1000 deaths per year in Canada.
While I will never be able to fully comprehend the struggle my dad and other patients with ALS experience, it is my hope that together we will be able to help promote awareness about this underserved disease and raise funds to help one day end it.