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| Dr Janice Robertson and her team of amazing scientists! |
I cannot say enough about how wonderful Dr. Janice Robertson
and her research colleagues are at the Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases.
If you’ve been reading my blog for recently you will have
heard that my brother suffers from ALS – Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis,
otherwise known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
You may also know that this incredibly horrible disease eats
away at your body until you can no longer use any of your muscles. Most ALS patients
lose their battle within three to five years of diagnosis. For my brother
Christopher, it has been two and a half years.
We all live with ALS when someone close to us has it.
Christopher is the unfortunate carrier of the disease, but those of us who love
him also live with the every day realities.
Last night I was lucky enough to be included in a special
reception for the donors of the Jim Hunter family foundation for ALS. Jim
Hunter is the founder of of NexGen Financial and a former CEO of Mackenzie
Financial Corporation. Jim was diagnosed in 2009. Today he and his family are
raising money for a cure. They have a goal of $5million and are more than
halfway there.
Dad was able to help the Hunter family with their first Cycle
for a Cure last year by helping solidify a location for the start/finish of the
cycle. Last year was the inaugural ride and the second happens this year again,
starting/finishing at Angus Glen Golf Club in Markham. To find out more, to
donate, or participate click HERE.
Back to last night – we met and heard from Dean of the
Faculty of Medicine, Catherine Whiteside from the University of Toronto (as the
research team is affiliated with the University), Associate Director of Faculty
of Medicine Advancement, Brian Bachand and Dr. Janice Robertson (she’s world
renowned!). Heather Hunter and Jim “spoke” as well. Jim uses a special computer
that speaks for him, as he has lost the use of his voice.
The fun actually began when we were broken up into groups
and given tours of the lab. I had had the opportunity to meet all the
researchers last November, but it was so much more amazing to see them “show
and tell” some of the things they are working on, as well as show off some
amazing new equipment they have. Each researcher has their special area of
expertise but they are all working on finding a cure for ALS. They are amazing
and diverse and so full of energy and hope! I completely admire the work they
do and very much appreciate what they are doing.
Back to the equipment…One of my personal favourites was a
microscope that can show live cells! It’s an incredible piece of equipment
because they can not only watch tiny little motor neurons, but they can also
manipulate them! What we were looking at was as 8 micro units small. Can you
even understand how small that is? It’s WAY smaller than a millimetre! It’s
amazing.
My point is, in the last decade there have been considerable
findings in the field of neurodegenerative diseases. Jim Hunter believes that
in the coming decade we will find a cure or at least find a way to slow the
progression of ALS. I believe this also. It’s going to be incredible but they
only way we’re going to be able to do this is to support our researchers.
The annual Walk for ALS in Toronto is occurring on Saturday
May 31st. Please feel free to join my family, friends, Griffey and
I! Please also consider sponsoring myself or one of the people walking on our
team. You reach my donation page by clicking here.
Thanks so much! See you on the 31st?!
