ALS volunteers promoting help and hope while raising money to find a cure

STEPHENVILLE
FRANK GALE
The Western Star



Doris Snow of Kippens, left, and Melinda O’Quin of St. Andrews both members of the ALS Society fan out brochures they were distributing in the Stephenville Mall this week. — Star Photo by Frank Gale


The ALS Society of Newfoundland and Labrador got lots of exposure recently when Melinda O’Quinn took it upon herself to promote the organization while raising finances to help the cause.

O’Quinn said a lot of people don’t realize how much the organization helps in providing help and hope to people affected by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a progressive degenerative disorder of the upper and lower motor neurons.

The ALS Society of Newfoundland and Labrador was established in 1989. O’Quinn said because of the organization, people are now realizing the disorder is not as rare as it once was and an increasing number of the population are being affected by it.

Also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, after American baseball star Lou Gehrig died from it, motor neurons degenerate and die, voluntary muscles become paralyzed, affecting mobility, speech, swallowing and breaching. Most people with ALS progress quickly, living only two to five years beyond diagnosis and only 20 per cent live beyond five years.

Because the disease results in various physical disabilities, persons affected by ALS have many needs that change rapidly over time. Until there is an effective treatment or cure for ALS, help and hope through education and support programs is the mission of the ALS Society of Newfoundland and Labrador.

The society feels there is hope through research as it finances leading-edge research conducted in Canada to find the cause and the cure for ALS. The help comes through its client programs and services, which runs from information and referral service to home visits, equipment loans and professional education programs.

Personal connection
O’Quinn became involved after ALS losing her father, William Luedee and his brother, Philip Luedee to the disease.

Doris Snow, a member of the ALS chapter in Stephenville, said she also became involved because of personal experience. She said her brother, Christopher Dennis died from the disease.

“I was very impressed with the help the ALS Society of Newfoundland and Labrador provided for Christopher,” Snow said. “They supplied all the necessary medical supplies with no charge to the patient or family. That’s one nice thing about the association as they do it for everyone, regardless of his or her financial situation.”

O’Quinn’s sister Viola Luedee — who is an accomplished photographer — donated a photo in the memory of their father — for the group to sell tickets on to raise financesl.

In total $1,835 was raised with Frank Berkshire of Codroy Valley winning the framed photo.

O’Quinn said all monies raised stays in the province, which is something she’s very proud of.

For more information on volunteering or to make a donation, call the Corner Brook office at (709) 634-9499 or visit www.envision.ca/webs/alsnl.

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