GivingTuesday brings family together
Last year, our family gathered for a memorable reunion that would not have been possible without the generosity and resources of the ALS Societies of BC and Ontario. My 88-year-old father Charles, a long-time resident of BC, had just become a great-grandfather for the first time, an event he never thought he would live long enough to experience. It was his wish to see his newborn great-granddaughter in Toronto, no easy feat as he is bound to his wheelchair. Realistically and logistically, he did not think he could travel. Upon hearing that the ALS Society sometimes makes the impossible possible, we reached out to them. Thanks to all the support and equipment we received from ALS BC and ALS Ontario, in the course of 3 weeks, my father was able to see all of his children (and their spouses), all of his grandchildren (and their spouses) and meet his great-granddaughter for the very first time, no easy feat as we are all spread out amongst 8 different cities and 2 countries. From the initial inquiry about the possibility of borrowing the equipment necessary for my father’s travel, to the delivery of the equipment to and from our home in Toronto, we were overwhelmed by the coordination, care, and attention we received from both provincial ALS Societies.
Our extended family is very grateful to the ALS Society for making this family reunion a reality. We are thankful to Eva, the ALS Clinic occupational therapist in Vancouver for initiating the request and to everyone else who smoothly processed our needs: Billie who was in charge of equipment loans in BC; Rabia, the client services representative in Toronto; Kala, the coordinator for the Stouffville area; and Sam, the kind representative from Rehab Medical, who delivered and picked up all the equipment from the house. They coordinated with us and amongst themselves to ensure that we received the required equipment (wheelchair, transport chair, ramp, hospital bed, easy lift chair, and shower bench) on time. Yes, my father received all this equipment for his use during his visit! We are so grateful for this Equipment Loan Program available to all ALS clients, and to the staff who are exceedingly caring. Our family will be forever grateful for this rare opportunity to be together.
Please consider donating to the ALS Society of BC Giving Tuesday Campaign to help support the Equipment Loan Program. Your generosity will enable people living with ALS to borrow the equipment they need to remain safe and comfortable in their homes and also travel to see their loved ones and create precious memories together.
From a very grateful family,
Nancy (from Stouffville, ON) and Charles (from Richmond, BC)
