ALS lets mind stay sharp as body dies
Island families take on adventure race to raise money for ALS research Martha Tropea, Daily News
Published: Monday, August 13, 2007 Article tools

* David Fox's speech has started to slur and he can no longer walk long distances.

As difficult as those problems are, they are not as grim as what the future holds for the 63-year-old Parksville man. It is only a matter of time before he will no longer be able to walk at all. He will slowly lose all muscle function, including the ability to speak.

His mind however, will stay in tact, which is the great tragedy afflicting those in the late stages of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

But what lies ahead for Fox is not something he thinks about much.

Instead, the 63-year-old spends each day as if its his last, soaking up time with his wife Sharon and his children.

"I don't want to think of all the terrible things that are happening and poison the todays," he said.

Fox was diagnosed with ALS in September.

By April, the progressive deterioration of his nerves forced him to quit his job as a security guard at Home Hardware.

ALS is a rapidly progressive and fatal neuromuscular disease. It attacks the nerve cells, especially those in the spinal cord, which control the voluntary muscles throughout the body. When these muscles fail to receive messages, they eventually lose strength, atrophy and die.

Looking back to the fateful day in September when his doctor told him he had ALS, Fox said it was a "surreal" experience.

"I was like I was up in the corner of the ceiling, looking down and seeing my wife and I getting the news," he said haltingly.

"All along I knew something was wrong."

Two years leading up to his diagnosis, Fox said his muscles twitched occasionally but nothing prepared him for finding out he was among the few people in Canada with ALS.

ALS is a fatal disease with no known cure or effective treatment. Approximately 2,500 to 3,000 Canadians currently live with the disease.

Nanaimo's Jim Kazeil is one of them. As Shauna Kazeil describes her father's experience with ALS, a noise pipes up from the background.

"Glad to be alive," the synthesized voice emits from a computer her father Jim uses to speak.

Jim was diagnosed with ALS in 2003. Only 58-years-old, he can no longer speak and can barely move. He is fed through a tube surgically inserted into his stomach.

The disease has not affected his sense of humour and although his quips come from a computer, Jim's unwavering wit still cracks his family up every time.

"He still manages to get his point across," said Shauna with a laugh.

In a matter of four weeks, Shauna has raised about $11,000 for ALS research and patient care. She's participating in the ALS Adventure Challenge coming to Nanaimo for the first time on Aug. 25. Her goal is to raise $75,000. "I think it means everything to my dad," she said. The adventure challenge includes a run, kayak and bike race around Westwood Lake that can be completed in teams, alone or as part of a relay.

Entry is free, but organizer Lisa Richardson asks that each person raise $250. So far 80 people have registered for the Nanaimo event, and she hopes to see many more sign on. For information on the all ages event go to www.alsadventure.com.

MTropea@nanaimodailynews.com
http://www.canada.com/vancouverislan...9-e9b47c79bd46