GivingTuesday Tributes

Heartfelt Tributes

Our “Tributes” webpage contains stories of love, gratitude, and admiration to honour those who hold a special place in the hearts of our supporters. Would you like to share a tribute? Click here to email us.

A Tribute to Resilience: A Family’s Journey Through ALS

“A brief history of why we continue to support the ALS Society of BC by fundraising and raising awareness in the community.

Rob was diagnosed in 2015 after experiencing pain and tremors in his extremities. After seeking a second opinion, we got hit with the news that he did, in fact, have ALS. We were initially told that he had a slower-progressing type of ALS and that we’d have at least 5 years with him. But his symptoms progressed quite quickly, and he passed away after a short two-year battle with this disease. He lost his speech, movement, and eventually the ability to breathe on his own.

Rob was stubborn and wanted to be around to watch his grandchildren grow up and be with his family for as long as possible, so he chose to have all the things done to prolong his life. (Feeding tube, tracheostomy, etc.) Near the end, he required 24/hr care and equipment, such as a wheelchair and ceiling lift, so we could get him in and out of bed.

All of this was provided by the ALS Society of BC, for which we were so thankful. So please consider supporting the Giving Tuesday campaign for the equipment loan program to help other families dealing with ALS.” – Heather Keating, Kamloops.

Top >

Empowering Independence: Peter Williamson’s Story

“I want to express my enormous gratitude to the ALS Society of BC for the help in my struggle with my disease. The Society has been consistently supportive and always there for my needs. The equipment loan program has provided me with equipment to
help me in my bathroom, my bedroom, my kitchen and my living room. At my desk I have a fabulous chair which can be raised and lowered electronically, adjusted to suit the height of a table, the kitchen counters or my desk, as needed.

Billie and Anthony have shown enormous patience in my efforts to find a powered wheelchair that best suits my needs. Their advice, understanding and friendly encouragement has been wonderful. All of this has been at no cost to me and my wife, and has made it possible for me to be mobile, independent, and to feel secure as I go about my day at home. We simply could not manage without the help we are given.” – Peter Williamson, Bowen Island.

Top >

ALS BC Empowering Lives, One Donation at a Time

We are a brother and sister who have embarked on a journey unlike any other. Since childhood, we have shared life’s joys and challenges and walked together through many twists and turns. We share a deep bond, but nothing could have prepared us for the devastating ALS diagnosis we both received, a disease that also took our mother.

However, in the face of such adversity, we take solace in knowing that we are not alone. Around the world, countless individuals are unified in the fight against ALS. As we both move through the 3 phases of ALS, the equipment loan program from the ALS Society of BC is another way we know we are not alone. From simple ramps at the beginning to complex power chairs so we can be mobile. To lifts that get us safely in and out of a chair or bed, and to OBI that helps feed us independently. The list goes on. The people who work in the equipment loan program are amazingly flexible and supportive in response to our needs. The equipment loan program has benefitted us physically as we face ever-changing physical needs, emotionally, giving us a sense of independence and financially, as anyone with ALS could not afford the equipment needed or even know what equipment is required. Thank you for everything you do to help keep hope alive for families like ours who are managing the realities of this disease right now. Please consider making a special donation this GivingTuesday for the equipment loan program of the ALS Society of BC.

Sincerely,　

Phil Large (Diagnosed with ALS in 2022) & Kimberly Colpman (Diagnosed with ALS in 2019)

Top >