Walk for "terrible, awful" disease – Timmins Press

TIMMINS-

It seemed that everyone at this year's ALS walk had a personal connection to the disease.

Either the story was written in one word, a fill-in-the-blank sticker on walkers' shirts stating the name of the person they walked for a father, a sister, a grandparent or a friend, or it was told in conversation with other participants who could relate.

Saturday's walk was dedicated to three Timmins women currently living with ALS Janine, Gloria and Joanne.

May Caissy walked for her late husband, Jean-Yves.

My husband passed away three years ago, and I did everything to beat the disease, said Caissy, who said she's now writing a book about her experience.

Within two months of her husband's diagnosis, he was no longer able to work. And like other people diagnosed with ALS, he lost one ability after another.

It started with constant twitches and spasms and ended with her husband no longer able to communicate.

I took him to Alabama for stem cells. I read from day to night to try to find any kind of cure, any kind of food that would change the process.

Caissy joked that she may not be a doctor, but after all her research, she feels like a scientist.

She wore purple to the walk, bringing purple balloons to share with other participants. She said there's some irony in the fact that purple was her wedding colour and is also the colour for the walk.

Siblings Dominique and David Cadeau walked for seven family members who had ALS: their brother, mother, grandfather, two aunts and two uncles.

It's an awful disease, said David Cadeau. The last few years, at the walks were just people who've been affected.

He's hopeful that a cure will be found one day.

We actually started the ALS walk here in Timmins, it was in memory of my brother Durwin, said Dominique Cadeau.

That was more than a decade ago but the family still comes to the fundraising event, now organized by the ALS Society of Canada.

Brigitte Labby is the regional manager for North East Ontario. She said the goal for the day was $8,000 60% of which would be used for client services, which includes client support, our equipment program, education and awareness.

The rest would be used to research the disease, also known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's Disease.

Things are coming along. We're starting to understand what may or may not be causing it, so it's still quite critical, said Labby.

An individual will lose their ability to use their limbs, will lose muscle mass, and eventually won't be able to stand or walk, and eventually will have difficulties speaking and eating, said said, noting that the disease is a terminal one.

She said she has 46 ALS clients in the region, though there are about 860 in the province. Labby will participate in several fundraising walks this spring. Recently, Sault Ste. Marie and Sudbury walks raised $59,000 and nearly $30,000 respectively.

Luckily, Labby chose cole secondaire Thriault instead of Gillies Lake for the walk. With rain pouring down for much of the morning, the event was held inside the year.

The organizer handed out cornflower seeds to families of people with ALS, noting the flowers are both hardy and delicate just like ALS patients.

NDP MPP Gilles Bisson (Timmins-James Bay) attended the event and told the crowd, We live with hope for the day that we're going to be able to make breakthroughs for the disease so that we can actually fight this and we can win the fight against ALS.

City of Timmins mayor Steve Black thanked volunteers and fundraisers, but said recognition was due to those who care for loved ones with ALS.

I know it means the world to them, Black said. A big congratulations...for the support that you give, day in and day out, dealing with this terrible disease.

Read more:
Walk for "terrible, awful" disease - Timmins Press