Newfoundland ALS Walk Raises $17K for Research

When Emma Upshall walked to end ALS in Mount Pearl this June, her mother wasn't there beside her. But the community that had supported their family through her mom's battle with the disease showed up in force.

Upshall lost her mother to Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis in March. The disease causes gradual muscle loss and paralysis, making everyday life increasingly difficult.

The ALS Society of Newfoundland and Labrador helped her family access the support they needed during those challenging months. "ALS is such a horrific disease, so to have a community of everyone who knows what it is and how much it sucks is great," Upshall said.

On June 14, six walks across the province brought people together during ALS Awareness Month. The events raised $17,000 that will fund both national research efforts and help families access expensive medical equipment like wheelchairs.

Deanne Engram Howe organized the Mount Pearl walk after losing her stepdad to ALS in 2018. She's volunteered with the society ever since because of the difference they made for her family.

Newfoundland Walks Raise $17K to Fight ALS

"Building a community like this and people coming together and being able to talk to each other and understanding the other's perspectives," she said. That connection transforms grief into action.

The Bright Side

Researchers are making real progress. A new drug has successfully slowed and even reversed the course of ALS in some patients, giving hope to families facing diagnosis.

"We're so close to a cure and hopefully, you know, in years to come, we won't have a walk to end ALS because we will have a cure," said Engram Howe. Every donation and every walk brings that goal closer.

Ida Engram participated to honor a relative she lost and to raise awareness about a disease that often flies under the radar. But she also came for something else: the community.

"You feel the love, you feel the support, and you just feel like you go home feeling a whole lot better," she said. In fighting a disease that steals muscle control, these walkers proved that together, they're anything but powerless.