[BobbyB]

Couple riding across Canada to heighten ALS awareness
Pamela Cowan, Saskatchewan News
Published: Friday, October 12, 2007

REGINA -- Riding across Canada on a Harley-Davidson with a sidecar, a Vancouver film producer and his wife are on a drive to stop a deadly disease.

Glen Tedham, an instructor at the Vancouver Film School, and his wife Jeannie began their journey from St. John's, N.L., on Sept. 13 to raise money for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

The ALS Ride Across Canada crew was at the University of Regina's Riddell Centre on Thursday to give hugs.



Jeannie and Glen Tedham are riding a 1991 Harley softail classic with a sidecar across Canada to raise money and awareness for Lou Gehrig's disease
Don Healy, The Leader-Post

The free hugs usually stop people and once they're stopped we've got an opportunity to talk to them about Lou Gehrig's disease," Glen said. "We explain that we hug because the paralysis that comes with ALS usually starts in the upper body and that means that people can no longer hug their friends and family."

The couple has lost two close friends to the devastating disease.

A university campus is a great place to raise awareness, especially about the need for research, Glen said.

The nationwide drive geared up after Glen entered a five-minute documentary in France's Cannes Film Festival.

"When we found out about the contest, there were only three days left. Most other people had three weeks, so we had one day to prep, one day to shoot and one day to edit," Glen said. "You could make a documentary on any subject so we decided the focus would be on what ordinary people can do in one day and we said, 'Let's see how much money we can raise in one day for ALS by selling hugs on the street.' "

Many hugs later, the couple raised $530.62. When Glen's documentary won first place at Cannes, the resulting media attention brought donations to $7,000.

"At that point, we decided, 'Why stop here? Why not go across Canada to raise awareness?' because we found that a lot of people on the street aren't aware of what ALS is," Jeannie said.

Following the duo, a film crew in a motorhome is rolling the cameras for a second documentary about ALS that they hope will debut at the Cannes Film Festival in May.

The Ride is stopping at 24 major Canadian cities in 45 days before it wraps up in Vancouver on Oct. 24. Throughout the journey, the film crew of five is shooting a 90-minute feature documentary that includes patients, families, researchers and doctors.

"Meeting with the patients and the families is probably the most rewarding thing I've done in my life," Glen said.

He's impressed by the positive attitude of many patients including former Montreal Alouettes defensive back Tony Proudfoot.

"He said they were praying for a brain tumour because at least there's hope with a brain tumour. With ALS there's no hope for a treatment or cure at this point," Glen said.

He hopes to enter the feature documentary at the next Cannes Film Festival.

"They've invited us there to accept our award," Glen said. "They're flying us there all expenses paid for two weeks. If we can get the film screened at Cannes, it will have worldwide exposure."

So far, the drive has raised $20,000.

"Our ultimate goal is $1.5 million and that's obviously not going to come from selling hugs on the streets," Jeannie said. "We're hoping the bulk of that comes once people see the film."

http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarp...e-1a83bdb75981