[BobbyB]

Tilson brings back ALS Month bill


David Tilson, MP for Dufferin-Caledon, this week re-introduced his private member's Bill to designate June as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease) Month.

"This issue is one that is close to my heart, as my own father succumbed to ALS," Mr. Tilson said. "I believe that this bill is a small but essential part of building public awareness about the disease and supporting efforts to find a cure. I expect that the bill will garner support from all sides of the House."

ALS, a progressive and usually fatal neuromuscular disease, is characterized by the degeneration of upper and lower motor neurons. The disorder causes muscle weakness and atrophy, ultimately leading to total loss of ability to initiate and control voluntary movement except for the eyes. Eighty percent of people with ALS die within two to five years of diagnosis.

"We are thrilled that the Member for Dufferin- Caledon, Mr. David Tilson, is reintroducing a Private Member's Bill to increase awareness of this devastating disease that affects thousands of Canadians beyond the 3,000 people who live with it," said David Cameron, President and of the ALS Society.