Medical Care - ALS Patient Support ("Dad")

Hi, my name is Amber Telger (Smith) and I am fundraising on behalf of my family...

January 2022, we received the life altering news of Dad’s ALS diagnosis. We were shocked to see a disturbing difference in Dad's mobility at my 2-year-old son’s birthday party in July 2021. After some grueling tests on Dad the Drs determined that he had ALS with a life expectancy of 2-5 years. We will never forget the life changing impact the moment of diagnosis had on all of us. You long for that miracle cure, hug of life to lessen his suffering, while you witness the worsening everyday challenges he sadly faces.

If you’re new to our story or new to the disease, you may remember the “Ice Bucket Challenge” in 2014 which was a game changer in terms of awareness and research funding. A definition: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS, MND, Lou Gehrig’s Disease) -

The degeneration of motor neurons in the brain interferes with messages to muscles in the body. Eventually, muscles atrophy and voluntary control of muscles is lost. Essentially, completely deteriorate.

You can learn more about the disease and how it affects Canadians and people of all over the world here: ALS CANADA

The past 2 years our community of friends, family, colleagues, and acquaintances simply touched by our story have generously donated to the annual ALS walk #walktoendals and collectively raised just over $10,000. Giving back to the ALS Society has been a #1 priority. As the disease progresses, so does the need for different equipment. Walking stick(s) – walker – wheelchair – electric scooter - hospital bed – commodes – Hoyer hoist. Without the ‘Loan Cupboard’ from the ALS Society, none of the above would be affordably possible, this was our way of giving back. My priority has since shifted...

You see how the disease “progresses” weekly, sometimes daily. To hear it and say it, forms a huge lump in your throat. July 2023, Dad’s last fall, which stopped him completely from working, Mum & Dad’s only income. A proud, brave, man "a glass half full man", who we so dearly love and at 68 has always worked tirelessly, 6 days a week to support his family, is now left with the angst of a small pension and little government support.

I am humbly setting up this GoFundMe page to help support Dad and primary caregiver, Mum with their unsustainable comfort. Dad is now chair and bed bound due to the muscle deterioration in his legs and arms. He requires PSW support to help Mum to shower him. He now requires a Hoyer hoist to help Mum to move him to and from his hospital bed and chair. Their home will soon be inadequate to provide the care and support required and Dad will therefore be forced into a LTC (long term care facility). With little government subsidy it will become financially impossible to keep their home and pay the fees for Dad's residence in an LTC home, an unbearable prospect.

I am respectfully reaching out to our community to come together once again to help fund his ongoing discomfort in the most comfortable way possible.

Every little helps as this grim future for Dad will be a reality very soon. It is very difficult to ask for this help, especially in a monetary way. So please, only support what you can, if you can, we as a family would be eternally grateful.

Please share our story so hopefully we reach Bill Gates, to spare some dollars.

Amber xx