Hi . We’re the Holdens.

Nick, Tammy, Parker and Sophie. In November 2024 Nick was diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. It started as an odd weakness in his left arm and leg. Suddenly we had a prognosis of 2-5 years. Just like that.

Just like that everything stopped. Over the course of the last 10 months, Nicks ability to walk and run and enjoy life stopped.

His ability to work and support our family financially has stopped.

Our ability to continue building the life we had dreamed of has stopped.

Just like that. Imagine that.

Today Nick lives in his reclining chair. He can no longer get dressed, use the washroom, feed himself, scratch an itch. Just like that. Everything has stopped.

Our kids are 8 and 11. Just like that - life as they knew it stopped. No more walks to school with dad. No more playing at the park. No more tossing the ball. Stopped. Their whole world has stopped.

What has started is the insurmountable anxiety and fear and the constant uneasy feeling of not knowing when the next stop is coming.

Mental health help is hard to get. Unless you have a lot of money to spend on it. The wait lists are very high for government funded support. Work insurance will pay a whopping $500 per calendar year tho.

With all of the supports in place for families living with ALS .. equipment loaning and clinic visits … the one major gap is the help a family truly needs to survive the mental and emotional torment that comes with the diagnosis.

A dear friend encouraged me to reach out through Go fund me.

They do say it takes a village.

We could really use a hand to get the kids and ourselves some support beyond the equipment. Don’t get us wrong. We completely recognize and appreciate that the government and ALS society has done wonderful things in lending us a hospital bed and hoyer lift .. ventilators and cough assists and endless deliveries of drugs and catheters and gauze and on and on and on.

We are thankful we live in a country where this is possible. All of the organizations apologize repeatedly and acknowledge the major gap in funding for mental health support for families of terminally ill parents. But hands are tied.

And so, we’re reaching out for a bit of a helping hand if you’re so inclined. We’d appreciate anything you’re able to share.

❤️