Your dollars at work

As a registered charity that receives no government funding, all of ALS Canada’s community-based support services in Ontario, advocacy efforts and research are funded entirely through the generosity and efforts of people like you – our donors. How do your donor dollars make a difference? Here are some examples of your dollars at work:

ALS Research

The first gene known to play a role in ALS was identified over 25 years ago. Research discovery since then has accelerated greatly, to the point that there has been more progress in the last five years than ever before. At its most complex, ALS research is a quest to understand the biological causes and progression of the disease in order to develop therapies that will make it treatable. But at its simplest, ALS research represents hope.

Your donations are giving hope to people affected by ALS by funding peer-reviewed research grants exploring new areas of research where we are well-positioned to have an impact. It also strengthens Canada’s ALS research community by fostering collaboration among scientists and building capacity for more scientific discovery.

Community-based support services in Ontario

For a family newly diagnosed with ALS in Ontario, an ALS Canada Community Lead is often one of the first people they’ll meet. Community Leads are system navigators who are knowledgeable in nearly everything a family will face while living with ALS and can answer questions, identify resources, advocate for care and provide practical advice. In addition to visiting people in their home, Community Leads offer support groups for people living with ALS as well as their caregivers.

Over time, someone living with ALS will need different types of equipment as their muscles weaken. For each person, it can be difficult to predict exactly when physical needs might require the shift from a walker to a wheelchair, for example – making it expensive and complicated to quickly access the equipment that is vital to living safely and staying connected to family and friends. That’s where ALS Canada’s equipment program comes in for people living with ALS in Ontario: loaned equipment available for longer time periods than the healthcare system provides, delivered at no cost and fully funded by generous donors like you.

Provincial and federal advocacy

Your support of the Revolution Ride gives people affected by ALS a voice with both federal and provincial (Ontario) governments. With the involvement of the ALS community, ALS Canada’s advocacy efforts help decision-makers understand how inefficiencies, inconsistencies and gaps in the healthcare system are leaving people with ALS behind. By highlighting problems and working with government to identify solutions, we can create momentum for meaningful change.

ALS Canada gives voice to the collective experience of people living with ALS to help drive program and system changes for the ALS community including:

					Equitable, timely and affordable access to therapies to treat ALS
					Improved home and community care for people living with ALS
					Dedicated funding for ALS research and more

We also engage at the local level with health care providers and agencies to help the people we support access services and other resources that can lessen the burden of living with ALS.

Thank you for your support. By participating and donating to the Revolution Ride, you are helping us do more for people living with ALS.