By Kellah Lavoie

ALS walk draws a crowd

May 29, 2011 | 11:39 AM

Just after 11 a.m. on Saturday, people poured out of the Messiah Lutheran Church.

They were all there to support amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) – many of the people had been touched by it.

Ed Stobbe`s wife, Selma, was diagnosed two years ago.

“Well it hasn`t been that bad yet, but it is getting worse. It started at the base of her brain and so it is affecting her tongue and her arms and hands and her fingers,” he said.

“She has a very hard time communicating or trying to open bottles.”

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The couple were walking together to support research – it was the first time they have taken part. Ed said there are so many different types of ALS that there is no cure yet.

“It`s hard to pinpoint anything, so that’s why there is no cure and they don`t know where it comes from or where it is going,” he said.

Elizabeth Deobald, ALS Walk organizer, has also been personally touched by the disease. Her aunt, Joanne Peterson, was diagnosed in 2003 and passed away in August, 2005 – three months after Deobald moved in to help the family take care of Peterson.

She has taken part in the walk for about five years in Wynyard, Calgary and Prince Albert.

It is her first year as an organizer, a feat she wasn’t expecting to be so challenging. She said things went well.

It was the seventh annual walk, with one main difference – a change of venue from Spicy Peppercorn.

She said it allowed them to be inside and have more room.

The fundraiser started with an 8 a.m. pancake breakfast and they had about 85 items up for a Chinese auction and 15 for a silent auction.

Deobald did not have a goal amount of money to raise, but the event brought in about $20,000.

She said her first year went well, but is encouraging more people to volunteer next years.

ALS is a fatal neurodegenerative disease and affects between 2,500 and 3,000 Canadians – only 10 per cent of will live more than 10 years with the disease and 80 per cent die within the first five years.

All the money from Saturday’s walk will go towards client services and research.

The ALS Society of Saskatchewan has support groups in Regina and Saskatoon. People wanting more information are encouraged to call the society at 306-949-4100.

klavoie@panow.com