Calgary Flames Foundation donates $240K to ALS initiative led by U of A doctor

Chris Snow and his family hold a cheque for $240,000 that will be given to CAPTURE ALS. (Calgary Flames Foundation)

The Calgary Flames foundation says after two years of fundraising through its Snowy Strong campaign, $520,000 has been raised.

The campaign was launched after Flames assistant general manager Chris Snow was diagnosed with ALS.

On Monday, the organization announced $240,000 of its fundraising efforts will be directed to the CAPTURE ALS initiative led by Dr. Sanjay Kalra at the Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute at the University of Alberta.

"Two and a half years since Chris was given one year to live he continues to be an active parent, to work as he always has and to coach youth hockey and baseball," the Snow family said in a statement.

"But he’s had losses: a hand, his swallowing, his ability to make facial expressions, and his ability to speak with full volume and clarity. He is a testament to both the power of scientific research and to how much more is needed.

"ALS remains a death sentence in part because there is no centralized database of biological samples and clinical data accessible to researchers worldwide. This is what CAPTURE intends to create, and we believe this is the template for unlocking the mysteries of this disease.

"We could not be more supportive of CAPTURE's mission and team.”

Dr. Kalra called the donation from Snow and the Calgary Flames Foundation "incredibly generous."

Since fundraising began, the Snowy Strong campaign has gifted $200,000 to the Hurvitz Brain Sciences Program at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto to help fund a clinical trial and more than $70,000 to the University of Miami's Miller School of Medicine, an international leader in research into familial ALS.