Making A Difference

[BDAClub]

Hey folks I'm looking for some ideas for a fundraiser and I would like some input I'm asking on here because you just never know where the next great idea is coming from anyway my mother-in-law has ALS for those of you that don't know it is a terrible disease whith no cure and one outcome......death.

It was her birthday today and we threw her a party because she loves Tom Jones I rented an outfit and a wig to look like him and sang three songs for her.......the look on her face was something I'll never forget. It went over great, but I want to do more.

It's frustrating to watch someone you love be taken slowly day by day and there is nothing that you can do. To me a fundraiser would raise awareness and also we can raise some $$ for research it's an oppurtunity for us to feel like we are fighting back and doing something about it even if we are not helping her directly.

BC is the only province in Canada that there is no Provincial Gov. $$ for ALS research........and yet now ALS kills more people than AIDS which gets huge Gov. $$ for research. I'm not saying to Stop supporting Aids.....I'm saying instead of the Gov. spending our money all on bullshit studies and other mindless things send some this way.

I was thinking about a catered dinner and dance with an auction of product from local businesses ie: harbour cruise dinner for two, week in Whistler etc. or any other ideas.

I would really appreciate any positive input.....I would luv to make a difference here.Feel free to e-mail me waw25@hotmail.com

Thanks

 

[BDAClub]

DEFINITION OF ALS

What is ALS
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), often referred to as "Lou Gehrig's disease," is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that attacks nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Motor neurons reach from the brain to the spinal cord and from the spinal cord to the muscles throughout the body. The progressive degeneration of the motor neurons in ALS eventually lead to their death. When the motor neurons die, the ability of the brain to initiate and control muscle movement is lost. With all voluntary muscle action affected, patients in the later stages of the disease become totally paralyzed. Yet, through it all, for the vast majority of people, their minds remain unaffected.
A-myo-trophic comes from the Greek language. "A" means no or negative. "Myo" refers to muscle, and "Trophic" means nourishment---"No muscle nourishment." When a muscle has no nourishment, it "atrophies" or wastes away. "Lateral" identifies the areas in a person's spinal cord where portions of the nerve cells that nourish the muscles are located. As this area degenerates it leads to scarring or hardening ("sclerosis") in the region.

As motor neurons degenerate, they can no longer send impulses to the muscle fibers that normally result in muscle movement. Early symptoms of ALS often include increasing muscle weakness, especially involving the arms and legs, speech, swallowing and breathing. When muscles no longer receive the messages from the motor neurons that they require to function, the muscles begin to atrophy (waste away). Limbs begin to look "thinner" as muscle tissue atrophies



That's the medical definition....In normal every day terms??

Imagine this your mind is as sharp as a tack but you can't move any part of your body, you can only talk with the help of a voice box, you eat with a feeding tube inserted in your throat and eventually you'll also need a machine to help you breath. Basically your body is a coffin but your mind is perfect......that's cruel.

Some people are lucky it goes into their chest first and shut's down their breathing they die quickly other's it takes years!!