Making strides for ALS

The annual walk for ALS yielded $12,557 this year in Labrador West.

Wendy Coish, the area's coordinator, said she is quite pleased with the proceeds from the

June 6 walk, noting that 57 people showed up to take part.

"We walked from the Legion (in Wabush) to the Old Airport Road [in Labrador City] and back again," said Coish. "A lot of the people who walk have family or friends affected by ALS but many have no connection, they just think it's a worthwhile cause."

As for what happens to the money raised, 60 per cent goes to families with ALS in the province, she explained, while 40 per cent goes toward the cost of research.

"That 60 per cent goes towards different needs people have that are suffering from ALS," said Coish. "For instance, someone might need a wheelchair, a special bed or breathing aids...things like that."

Mother died of ALS

For Coish, the effort she has been putting into coordinating the walks the last four years have a very personal motivation for her. Her mother passed away with ALS a number of years ago and, until she came to Labrador West 10 years ago and got involved with the walk, she didn't know a great deal about the degenerative disease that took her mother from her.

"I knew my mother had ALS, or Lou Gehrig's Disease, but to tell you the truth, no one in our family knew a big lot about it," she said. "So, that is one of the very important things about this walk, it gives people an opportunity to learn about this and it raises awareness."

According to the ALS Society of Canada, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (also known as Lou Gehrig's disease) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease. People living with the disease become progressively paralyzed due to degeneration of the upper and lower motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord. Eighty per cent of people with ALS die within two to five years of diagnosis- unable to breathe or swallow. Ten per cent of those affected may live for 10 years or longer.

Leaving Labrador West

This year's walk is the last walk Coish will organize in Labrador West, she and her spouse are moving to the Gander area within the next few months. A priority for her though, before she leaves, is to find a new coordinator.

"I've been talking to someone about taking it over and I am not sure yet if they are going to do it," she said. "I am sure we'll find someone."

Focused on Gander

Even though she is leaving Labrador West her dedication to ALS is definitely going to Gander with her. She has been in touch with the province's executive director Cheryl Power and Coish is lined up to bring the ALS annual walk to her new home of Gander.

"The provincial coordinator told me they have people [in Gander] interested but they haven't been able to get someone to take it over and coordinate it. So, when I go out, I am going to coordinate the walk."

Getting it up and running in a new town is a challenge that Coish said she is up to and she isn't nervous about whether or not it will be successful. "Now that I know there are people interested, I am sure it will be a success," she said. "I am looking forward to starting it up for sure because no matter how much money we can raise, it all brings more awareness to this disease and that is very important."