What Would You Do???


My father Serge J Vincent lives in the Saguenay in Quebec. He has always been an ardent fly fisherman and outdoorsman. And to me has always embodied courage, strength and determination, living life to the fullest everyday. He is my hero.
In March of 2006 my father was diagnosed with ALS. As I become more informed about ALS, I realise that few people seem to know about it. That is why I have decided to organise a walk in St. Andrews, NB, to raise awareness.
I invite you to come walk with us, or to make a small pledge towards finding a cure.

This is my father holding my son Logan on a whale watching excursion.
What would you do while you still could?



Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, ALS, is also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, after the famous American baseball player who died of ALS in 1941. ALS is a progressive and ultimately fatal neuromuscular disease. It causes nerve cells to degenerate. These nerve cells control movement by sending electrical impulses to the muscles. When the motor neurons degenerate, the muscles weaken, resulting in paralysis. ALS is a progressive, fatal, neuromuscular disease, which has no known cause, cure or drug therapy of consequence. Individuals who are diagnosed with ALS do not typically survive beyond 3-5 years. This devastating disease slowly robs the individual of the ability to walk, talk, and ultimately, to breathe. Below are facts about ALS:

Two to three Canadians a day die of ALS
Approximately 3,000 Canadians currently live with ALS
In at least 90% of cases, ALS strikes individuals with no family history of the disease
Between 5-10% have a familial form of ALS, so 2 or more of their family members have it.
ALS can strike anyone, regardless of age, sex or ethnic origin
The usual age of onset is between 55 and 65, but some have been younger than 20
Nearly 90% of people with ALS died within 5 years of diagnosis. While some live longer, others die within a few short months
ALS affects the whole family
ALS is a costly disease - emotionally, physically, and financially.



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