ABOUT ALS 

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (also known as ALS, Lou Gehrig’s disease, or motor neuron disease) is a progressive neuromuscular disease in which nerve cells die and leave voluntary muscles paralyzed. Over time, as the muscles of the body break down, someone living with ALS will lose the ability to walk, talk, eat, swallow, and eventually breathe.  ALS can strike anyone, male or female, of any ethnic origin and of any age. 

ALS is not contagious. Less than 10 percent of cases are hereditary. However, 90 percent of ALS cases have no known cause. There is no cure for ALS and few treatment options for the majority of people living with the disease. Approximately 80 per cent of people with ALS die within two to five years of being diagnosed. 

Learn more about the early signs and symptoms, how ALS is diagnosed and how it progresses.

If you or someone you know is living with ALS, take advantage of our resources to help make day-to-day life with ALS less overwhelming and more manageable.