Williams Lake organizers are getting ready to host the Eighth Annual Williams Lake Walk to End ALS taking place on Saturday, June 22, 2019.
All members of the Walk to End ALS committee are volunteers for the ALS Society of BC & Yukon.
The Walk to End ALS is the Society’s biggest fundraiser of the year. Money raised goes to help finance research for a cure for ALS and also to deliver services for families living with ALS during the long illness.
This year’s walk in Williams Lake starts in Boitanio Park at 11 a.m. with registration, followed by the walk at noon.
“This event unites the country and rallies people affected by ALS,” said Wendy Toyer, executive director with the ALS Society of BC. “Participants walk to show support for people living with and/or to honour the memory of a loved one lost. The Walk to End ALS inspires hope. Please join us.”
READ MORE: Williams Lake Walk for ALS raises $18,000 for research, support
ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects a person’s motor neurons that carry messages to the muscles resulting in weakness and wasting in arms, legs, mouth, throat and elsewhere.
Typically, the person affected is immobilized or deceased within two to five years of the initial diagnosis. Three to five Canadians are identified with ALS daily and the same number waste away and perish from ALS each day.
The impact on the family is powerful. As they struggle to cope with the prospect of advancing disability and death, it consumes their emotional and financial reserves.
ALS is a costly disease in its later stages, demanding both extensive nursing care and expensive equipment. On the broader scene, the health-care system has been pushed to the limit and usually unable to cover the costs of supplemental care.
The Williams Lake Walk to End ALS would welcome your support during the Walk on June 22nd. Your participation will help us move a little closer to finding a cure for this dreaded disease. If you wish to volunteer please contact Chris Siebert at 250-392-5087 or Eileen Campbell at 250-267-7611.
You can also donate at walktoendals.ca.
sports@wltribune.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter