Hello friends,
It has been almost three years since we lost Kerry to ALS. Although the jagged edges of grief have smoothed with time, there isn't a day that goes by where I don't think of him (multiple times), and miss him. We all handle grief in different ways, and my son Ian has written a song for his band titled When the Smoke Abates, which touches on his grief and Kerry's struggle with ALS (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyoyWGUR9Xo).
Kerry was a loving husband, father, brother, son and friend to many, and is sorely missed. He was diagnosed with ALS in July 2017 and fought a valiant battle which he lost in July 2021. He was an incredible inspiration to his family and friends in how he dealt with ALS and maintained a positive attitude throughout his ordeal. Always thinking of others, Kerry was a strong advocate for access to promising therapies for Canadians living with ALS, participated in ALS Awareness campaigns and was an early supporter of Project Hope. He knew that time was not on his side but pushed for better outcomes for those that come after him in battling this terrible disease.
The Move to Cure ALS is the signature fundraising event for the ALS Society of British Columbia, which brings together family and friends in support of ALS.
People come together to "Move"; be it walking, running, rolling, supporting or being present. Funds raised go to support people living with ALS in BC and the Yukon, and to support research through PROJECT HOPE.
Our goal is to end ALS through creating a world class ALS Centre at UBC. This goal is well underway, and Dr. Erik Pioro, "a renowned professor in ALS Research at UBC is assempling a worlk-class ALS Clincial Care and Research Team that will stand as the cornerstone of PROJECT HOPE, inviting patients to participate in groundbreaking clinical trials and research projects aimed at finding a cure for ALS". 100% of all donations to the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis of British Columbia will remain in BC to support patient services programs (60%) and research (40%) through PROJECT HOPE.
Thank you for joining me in supporting the ALS Society of British Columbia and making a donation in honour of Kerry's memory.