Calgary family shares story of ALS during awareness month

It’s ALS Awareness Month, and there’s a major push to raise funds for research and treatment of the disease.

A Calgary family is speaking about their challenges with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and is pushing for more research and treatment of the disease.

Ralph Scott was leading a relatively normal life until he was diagnosed with ALS in 2021.

He enjoyed music and riding motorcycles, but now the illness has impacted his mobility and is robbing him of his ability to speak.

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Support through a speech language pathologist and use of an iPad have allowed Scott to regain his ability to communicate, something that’s helped his daily life.

His wife Susan Larkham says ALS “makes their world smaller,” so the assistance is critical.

“With these devices and the help we’re getting (it would be good) if we can just keep it at the same level and not have the world shrink any more.”

Specialists say having the devices in place put ALS sufferers in control.

“We are always making sure that we put messages for care providers in there. It gives them the opportunity to share their memories, to communicate with everyone and anyone in their environment,” said Christine Bond, a speech language pathologist with Alberta Health Services.

June is ALS awareness month, a time of the year set aside for those with the disease to share their stories and emphasize research and treatment options.

“It’s a devastating disease that we know that affects the entire family and a community when someone is diagnosed,” said Leslie Ring Adams, the executive director for the ALS Society of Alberta.

“We don’t want anyone facing this disease alone. So, raising awareness and raising funds helps kind of create a better community for someone who’s going through this.”

Larkham says community has been a great support for them too.

“Ralph is still Ralph, you know?” she said. “ALS takes away a lot, but he’s still the same guy.

“We don’t want to lose that.”

You can learn more about the ALS Society of Alberta online.

With files from CTV News Calgary’s Jordan Kanygin