On June 18th, Pacific Coast Health Services Nanaimo and Victoria are teaming up as the "Pacific Coast Cruisers" supporting the 2022 move to cure ALS. Team members Barbara Sedola, Joyce Lang, Twyla Johnson, Diane Culpepper, Merelee Sedola and Lori Winkler invite you to sign up and lace-up to support this significant cause.
Can't make the event in person? Do it virtually or make a donation online. All funds raised, stay in BC and the Yukon to support patient care and ALS research through PROJECT HOPE.
About ALS
ALS also known as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Lou Gehrig’s disease, or motor neuron disease is a disease that gradually paralyzes it's victims as the brain no longer able to communicate with the muscles of the body. As time goes, the ability to walk, talk, eat and breath diminishes, which undoubtably becomes terminal. ALS is the most common cause of neurolgogical death in Canada.
Close to the heart: from Barbara Sedola
On July 5, 2021, I lost my brother Kerry Winkler to ALS. Diagnosed approximately 4 years earlier, we were stunned at the news, asking, “Why Kerry?” A healthy eater and life-long fitness buff, he was the picture of health.
ALS is indiscriminate, with approximately 400 BC residents living with the disease every year. It is estimated one in 50,000 people are diagnosed in Canada each year. No one really knows what causes ALS.
While some studies show promise, there is currently no known cure. Treatments are limited, with varying degrees of effectiveness. Unfortunately because ALS is relatively rare, and despite the difficult path people with ALS face, there is little financial incentive for drug companies to spend money on research or cures.
Which is why your donation is so important. Money raised through “The Move to Cure ALS” walk will go directly to PROJECT HOPE. PROJECT HOPE supports the needs of people living with ALS in BC and drives research into a cure through clinical trials at it’s UBC facility. Kerry was a top fundraiser and promoter of the project.
So lace up your runners and join us in the walk at Maffeo Sutton Park on June 18th. Or, walk with us virtually if you are unable to join us in person. Any donation you can provide is very much appreciated and will directly benefit those suffering from this terrible, debilitating disease.
Thank you,
Barb Sedola,
Care Manager for Pacific Coast Health Services (Nanaimo region)
Tel: 250-389-0202