- ALS is not a rare disease – two or three Canadians die each day of this devastating disease
- According to the World Health Organization, neurodegenerative diseases are predicted to surpass cancer as the second leading cause of death in Canada by 2040
- ALS always results in death. 90% of people with ALS die within 5 years of diagnosis
- Eighty per cent of people with ALS die within two to five years of diagnosis – unable to breathe or swallow
- In at least 90% of cases, it strikes people with no family history of the disease
- The average age of onset is 55 years – 80% of ALS cases begin between the ages of 40 to 70.
- 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.
sources:ALS Society of Alberta, ALS Society of Canada
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