Dr. Laurence Rouleau’s work will explore an understudied area of ALS care and end-of-life decision-making
TORONTO, ON, October 8, 2026 – For people living with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), decisions about care become increasingly complex as the disease progresses, making it essential that support remains aligned with each person’s wishes, values, and quality of life. To advance understanding in this important area of care, the ALS Society of Canada (ALS Canada), in partnership with Brain Canada, has awarded the 2026 ALS Canada-Brain Canada Clinical Research Fellowship to Dr. Laurence Rouleau at the University of Western Ontario and London Health Sciences Centre. Supported by $100,000 in funding over one year, her research will explore the experiences of people living with ALS who consider or pursue Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) and help inform more person-centred care.
“During my residency, I had the opportunity to meet many people living with ALS and their loved ones. Caring for them made me realize that, despite the urgent need to find a cure, we must also continue to improve end-of-life care,” said Dr. Rouleau. “As the disease progresses, planning and adapting treatment to reflect each person’s wishes and values is a challenging but deeply meaningful part of care. Helping to identify ways to improve quality of life throughout the disease course motivates me to pursue clinical research in this area.”
The ALS Canada-Brain Canada Clinical Research Fellowship plays a vital role in building the future of ALS care in Canada by supporting emerging clinician-researchers at a critical stage in their careers. By investing in promising clinician-scientists like Dr. Rouleau, the fellowship helps accelerate progress toward better treatments, improved clinical care, and enhanced quality of life for people affected by ALS.
“People living with ALS and their families face complex challenges as the disease progresses, making research like Dr. Rouleau’s critically important. By advancing understanding in an understudied area of care, her work will help generate evidence that supports better care for the ALS community,” said Dr. David Taylor, Chief Scientific Officer at ALS Canada. “The ALS Canada-Brain Canada Clinical Research Fellowship has a proud legacy of supporting emerging clinician-researchers and strengthening Canada’s ALS research ecosystem. We are grateful to Brain Canada for its continued partnership in making this important work possible.”
Many people living with ALS and their families face difficult decisions related to MAiD, yet there is limited research to guide the support they receive throughout that journey. Through the ALS Canada-Brain Canada Clinical Research Fellowship, Dr. Rouleau’s research will help address this gap, generating knowledge that can support healthcare professionals and improve care for people and families navigating this complex stage of the disease.
“Brain Canada is proud to continue our partnership with ALS Canada in supporting clinician-researchers like Dr. Laurence Rouleau, whose work reflects the priorities of people living with ALS and their families,” said Viviane Poupon, president and CEO of Brain Canada. “Research like this is key to building critical knowledge and improving quality of life at every stage of ALS and other progressive neurological conditions.”
Dr. Rouleau will conduct this research under the supervision of Dr. Christen Shoesmith, a neurologist at the ALS Clinic in London, Ontario, a member of the ALS Canada Board of Directors, and Associate Professor of Neurology at the University of Western Ontario and London Health Sciences Centre. Together, their work will help advance knowledge in an important area of ALS care.
About ALS Canada and the ALS Canada Research Program
The ALS Society of Canada (ALS Canada) is working to change what it means to live with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, an unrelenting and currently terminal disease.
Grounded in and informed by the Canadian ALS community, we respond to the urgent unmet need for life-changing treatments by investing in high-quality research that will fuel scientific discovery and by engaging industry, supporting increased clinical capacity, and advocating for equitable, affordable, and timely access to proven therapies.
Responding to the tremendous need for current and credible ALS knowledge, awareness, and education, we empower Canadians affected by ALS to navigate the current realities of ALS, be informed consumers of ALS information, and advocate effectively for change.
Through the ALS Canada Research Program, we fund peer-reviewed research grants, foster collaboration and build capacity within Canada’s ALS research and clinical community, and invest in new areas of research positioned to have high impact. As the only national dedicated source of funding for ALS research across Canada, the ALS Canada Research Program aims to accelerate research impact by providing funding for the most promising ALS projects focused on translating scientific discoveries into treatments for ALS. We are grateful for the support of our donors and the contributions from participating provincial ALS Societies through the Walk to End ALS.
About Brain Canada
Brain Canada Foundation is a national registered charity that enables and supports excellent, innovative, and paradigm-changing brain research in Canada. By fostering collaboration and leveraging public and private funds through the Canada Brain Research Fund, a unique arrangement between Brain Canada and the Government of Canada, through Health Canada, Brain Canada accelerates discoveries that improve health outcomes for people living with brain disorders, injuries, and diseases.
Visit Braincanada.ca and @BrainCanada.
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For more information:
ALS Society of Canada
media@als.ca
437-703-5402
Brain Canada
Naghmeh Shafiei
naghmeh.shafiei@braincanada.ca
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