Facts about ALS

“ALS is clearly the most common cause of neurological death on an annual basis.”
- Dr. Michael Strong, research scientist at the Robarts Research Institute, London, Ontario

• ALS, often called Lou Gehrig’s Disease, means Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

• Sometimes it is called Motor Neuron Disease.

• ALS can strike anyone. It can hit at anytime, regardless of age, sex or ethnic origin.

• The usual age of onset is 55-65, but people under 20 have been diagnosed.

• ALS is not a rare disease. Of every 100,000 people, between 6 and 7 will be diagnosed with ALS.

• Between 1,500 and 2,000 Canadians currently live with ALS.

• Two or three Canadians die each day of this devastating disease.

• In at least 90% of cases, it strikes people with no family history of the disease.

• ALS always results in death. 90% of people with ALS die within 5 years of diagnosis.

• A person with ALS can require equipment valued at more than $40,000.

• Nursing care can cost several times that amount.

• The cause is unknown. There is no known cure or treatment that prolongs life significantly - yet.

STATISTICS CANADA DEATH RATE DATA

1994
 1995
 1996
ALS
Males
 493
 567
 520
Females
 503
 489
 590
TOTAL
 996
 1056
 1110
CYSTIC FIBROSIS
Males
 35
 24
 24
Females
 38
 33
 23
TOTAL
 73
 57
 47
MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS
Males
 129
 129
 105
Females
 184
 212
 189
TOTAL
 313
 341
 294
AIDS
Males
 1489
 1637
 1198
Females
 139
 127
 108
TOTAL
 1628
 1764
 1306

WHAT IS ALS?