With great appreciation, ALS Canada acknowledges the significant contributions of three Board members whose terms have come to an end, even as their commitment to the ALS cause continues. Thank you to Ron Foerster, Dr. Angela Genge and Patrick Merz for your gifts of leadership, time and expertise.
Dr. Genge and Patrick were both appointed to the volunteer Board in 2014, just before the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge resulted in unprecedented awareness and funds for the cause, while Ron joined in 2015 and served as Chair from 2017 to 2019.
In all three instances, their leadership was instrumental in ensuring effective use of the funds raised through the Ice Bucket Challenge in order to have the greatest impact, and in moving the organization to a renewed mission grounded in the needs of the ALS community and in anticipation of a day when more treatments will be available as a result of past investments in research. Each has leveraged personal and professional connections to the cause with a focus on creating a different reality for people affected by ALS.
- Ron’s legal expertise in governance related issues combined with the personal experience of his mother’s ALS diagnosis benefited ALS Canada through his significant contributions to the development of our 2018-23 strategic plan, with a focus on good governance and maximum impact for the people we serve. He also regularly flexed his fundraising muscle through participation in the ALS Canada Plane Pull and other events.
- A world-leading neurologist and clinician, Dr. Genge has championed the need for ALS clinical trials in Canada. She is passionate about the cause and about elevating Canada’s ALS leadership in the best interest of people living with the disease. For her exceptional care and compassion towards ALS patients as well as her tireless involvement in clinical trial development and dedication to clinical research, she received the prestigious Forbes Norris Award at the 2018 International Symposium on ALS/MND.
- Another member of the Board with a personal connection to ALS, Patrick brought expertise in accounting as a long-standing member of the finance and audit committee, which ensures we are fulfilling our financial responsibilities including reporting, controls and audits. Considering ALS Canada’s national mandate for research funding and federal advocacy, he also contributed a western Canada lens as a resident of Alberta.
Thank you Ron, Dr. Genge and Patrick for your many and varied contributions to create real and meaningful change for people affected by ALS.