Research into why Canadian military veterans have a higher likelihood of ALS could help advance care and treatment for all Canadians.
Bob Gibson is a Canadian military veteran living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, ALS is a progressive neuromuscular disease that destroys nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. As these cells die, people become progressively paralyzed as they lose their ability to walk, talk, eat, swallow, and eventually breathe. Despite its severity, little is known about why the disease progression varies from person to person and why certain populations, like military veterans, appear disproportionately affected. “As a veteran, answering this question is especially important to me, because it could help identify ALS causes, potentially preventing it in future generations,” says Gibson.
Urgent call for federal funding
With Ottawa increasing military spending, research into finding answers to these questions is critical. ALS Canada is calling for a federal investment of $50 million over the next five years into the Canadian Collaboration to Cure ALS and the broader ecosystem of research, diagnostics, and clinical trials to ensure that no Canadian is left behind.
People living with ALS cannot afford to wait. Behind every diagnosis is a person, a family, and a future that has been forever changed.
This proposal brings together people living with ALS, researchers, clinicians, and organizations across the country to unify Canada’s research efforts by scaling four high-impact ALS research initiatives—CAPTURE (Comprehensive Analysis Platform To Understand, Remedy, and Eliminate) ALS, the Canadian Neuromuscular Disease Registry (CNDR), the Canadian ALS Research Network (CALS), and Access ALS. It is grounded in the experiences of the ALS community and represents a critical opportunity to better understand the disease, accelerate research, expand access to clinical trials, and bring hope to people living with ALS. “Canada has the talent and capacity to become a world leader in groundbreaking ALS research. The only thing we lack is funding,” says Tammy Moore Chief Executive Officer, ALS Canada.
Support Canadian Collaboration to Cure ALS
By investing in the Canadian Collaboration to Cure ALS, Canada can build on existing expertise and infrastructure to answer some of the most pressing questions about the disease. “ALS can affect anyone, often in the prime of their life. We urge the federal government to fund a coordinated national ALS research effort so Canadians living with ALS can access new and innovative therapies,” says Moore.
Bob Gibson, who is also an ALS Canada Community Ambassador, agrees, adding, “people living with ALS cannot afford to wait. Behind every diagnosis is a person, a family, and a future that has been forever changed.”
Learn more about how you can support a national ALS strategy by visiting: https://als.ca/.