ALS Facts:

• ALS is not a rare disease - two or three Canadians die each day of this devastating disease
• According to the World Health Organization, neurodegenerative diseases are predicted to surpass cancer as the second leading cause of death in Canada by 2040
• Approximately 2,500 - 3,000 Canadians currently live with ALS
• Most people living with ALS lose some or complete use of their hands and legs within the first 2 years of their diagnosis
• ALS always results in death. 90% of people with ALS die within 5 years of diagnosis
• Eighty per cent of people with ALS die within two to five years of diagnosis - unable to breathe or swallow
• In at least 90% of cases, it strikes people with no family history of the disease
• ALS, often called Lou Gehrig's Disease, means Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
• The average age of onset is 55 years - 80% of ALS cases begin between the ages of 40 to 70.
• PALS diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 40 have a higher chance of surviving for 5 years
• A person with ALS can require equipment valued at more than $40,000 -n ursing care can cost several times that amount
• The cause is unknown. There is no known cure or treatment that prolongs life significantly - yet.

sources:  ALS Society of Alberta, ALS Society of Canada