Show the power of hope

Providing equipment to those living with ALS in BC

Canada is the second-largest country in the world. It is bigger than the entire European Union (33 times bigger than Italy and 15 times bigger than France), more than 30 percent larger than Australia, five times as big as Mexico, three times as big as India and about the same size as 81,975 Walt Disney Worlds put together. It has the longest coastline of any country in the world at 243,977 kilometres, far more than the countries like Norway, Russia or Australia. If you walked and never stopped...not even to eat, sleep or rest your feet—it would take you four-and-a-half years. The longest highway in the world is the Trans-Canada Highway which is over 7,604 kilometres in length. It’s so big that Canada has six time zones. Canada is also home to 20% of the world’s freshwater and has more lakes than any other country on earth. More than half of all the lakes in the world are located in Canada.

Background

"My life would be dramatically different without the ALS BC Equipment Loan Program," Christopher Ells" (ALS patient in British Columbia). ALS is a costly disease in its later stages, demanding both extensive nursing care and expensive equipment. The average cost of equipment per patient during the disease is $140,000. Most ALS patients do not have health insurance and do not receive government funding. Once the disease progresses, a patient may not be able to work. During the later stage of the disease, the patient will need a caregiver, which another family member usually assumes. As the affected families cope with the prospect of advancing disability, it consumes their emotional and financial reserves. Often, the family member has to cut work to assume the role of a caregiver, thereby reducing another source of income in the family. The program is designed to help people cope with the daily challenges of decreasing mobility and independence through obtaining assistive equipment such as wheelchairs, lifts, beds, bathroom and communication aids. It is the best essential care that can be provided to the patients and their families and caregivers to improve quality of life while dealing with ALS. In Canada, with a population of 38 million, 2 to 3 Canadians die every day of ALS (1,000 per year die from ALS). As one person is newly diagnosed, another patient passes away. Approximately 3,000 Canadians currently have ALS. In BC, the Society serves over 400 patients per year.

The good deed

The equipment loan program of ALS BC is the best essential care that can be provided to the patient, their families and caregivers in improving their quality of life while dealing with ALS. By providing the assistive equipment, we give the patient some independence that the disease took over. ALS is a costly disease. This program relieves the family from the additional stress of raising funds for equipment to focus on other concerns that disease brings, such as caregiving and counselling. With the funding that will be raised through Good Deeds, the Society will be able to process multiple equipment delivery and pick-up requests for ALS patients living in British Columbia. There is no limit on equipment loaned by the patient. Depending on the patients' disease progression, a patient may have one or more than ten pieces of equipment during the illness. All equipment requested must be prescribed by a healthcare professional.