'Hope is stronger than fear'


Ahead of the ALS international awareness day, British Government donates NIS 40,000 towards Israeli research into ALS

Ynetnews Published: 06.20.07, 13:25 / Israel Activism




The British Government has granted NIS 40,000 for Israeli research into the debilitating disease ALS. The money will go towards sending an Israeli scientist to the UK to research the disease.


Tom Phillips, British Ambassador to Israel, awarded the grant to IsrALS, an Israeli non-profit organization, which was founded to promote research in Israel into the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. IsraALS is run by ALS patients and their friends. IsrALS will choose from research bids and select the proposal it believes has the best chance of bringing about a breakthrough in research into the disease.


About six months ago, the British Embassy hosted Professor Stephen Hawking, who suffers from the disease, on a week-long visit to Israel.
During his visit, Hawking met with IsrALS President Dov Lautman and CEO Nir Tsoran and agreed to participate in a campaign initiated by IsrALS to increase public awareness of the disease. The campaign was filmed recently at Hawking’s Cambridge offices and will air simultaneously in Israel, the US, Canada and Europe. The campaign will be unveiled June 21 at an event in Tel Aviv in the presence of Israeli Nobel Prize winners under the banner “Hope is Stronger than Fear”.


British Ambassador Phillips commented, “My government is delighted - following the visit by Professor Stephen Hawking last December - to donate to IsrALS. We hope this money will help bring us closer to the day when a cure is found for this disease. This grant will also help further foster the links between Israel and British researchers.”



Thursday, 21 June, is ALS international awareness day Israeli Scouts will sell IsraelALS bracelets and distribute fliers in malls throughout the country. There are currently 600 people suffering from the disease in Israel, with 200 dying from it each year. The average life-span of patients diagnosed with ALS is 2-5 years.



For more information on the disease, the work of IsrALS and events to mark the international awareness day - click here



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