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ALS Walk turns 10

People came to Lakeside Park on Sunday from Kamloops, Kelowna, and Trail for the tenth annual West Kootenay Walk for ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.
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June 5


People came to Lakeside Park on Sunday from Kamloops, Kelowna, and Trail for the tenth annual West Kootenay Walk for ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

“I am thrilled to tell you that because of the Walk for ALS campaigns, we are going to be kicking off clinical trials in Canada with Dexpramipexole,” Wendy Toyer, head of ALS BC told the crowd.

Toyer says over 800 people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis who have shown their first signs of weakness within the last two years will participate. Similar trials are underway in the U.S., Europe, and Australia.

“This is huge. There is great faith that this drug is going to stop the progression of ALS,” Toyer said. “None of that would happen if it wasn't for you here today. We are winning this war.”

In 2010, the Walk generated $2.4 million nationwide. In the past nine years, the West Kootenay walk has raised over $425,000. Sixty per cent of the funds goes to support patients, and 40 per cent towards research for treatments or a cure.