Facing ALS together: How family and community carry us forward

In 2021, my life changed overnight.

My name is Ana Arroyo, and more than four years ago, I was diagnosed with ALS. It wasn’t just my life that was drastically altered, but my family’s as well. ALS changed how we live, how we plan, and how we get through each day.

As the disease progresses, I’ve lost abilities I never imagined losing – and that has meant relying more and more on my caregivers: my husband, Oscar, and my eldest daughter, Maria. We went from talking about work, school, and future plans to talking about pills, supplements, and medical trials.

When I was first diagnosed, part of me was terrified of what was happening to my body – another part of me was heartbroken for my two daughters. With each loss of movement, speech, or independence, I think about the future I once imagined with them. Will I be there when they get married, become mothers themselves, or just need their mom to hang out with?

Right now, we’re focused on taking each day as it comes. Having the support of ALS Canada has made our daily lives a lot easier. ALS Canada has helped us find community in a disease that can feel so confining – providing the equipment I need to stay comfortable and supported, and offering someone my daughters can talk to as we navigate the many changes.

Before I received my diagnosis, there was a lot we didn’t know about ALS. And that’s not unusual.

Every day, ALS Canada helps families face ALS with guidance, information, and care. With the support of generous donors, they advocate for policy changes that directly benefit people living with ALS, and fund research, moving us closer to new treatments and, one day, a cure.

This ALS Awareness Month, I’m reflecting on the impact compassionate donors have made for families like mine. ALS can progress rapidly for thousands of Canadians, and because of this, time is everything.

Steady, consistent support makes a bigger difference than you may realize. It helps ALS Canada respond quickly to urgent needs today, while continuing to drive progress toward a world free of ALS tomorrow.

That’s why ALS Canada is working towards welcoming new monthly donors this month.

Here’s why now is the perfect time to join:

• Your gift will be matched 3X. The first 70 monthly donations will be matched*, tripling your impact.
• You’ll help fund vital programs, including:
  • Online support groups that provide comfort and connection.
  • The ALS Canada Research Program, the only national source of dedicated funding for ALS research, which supports the most promising peer-reviewed research to advance the understanding and treatment of ALS.
  • The ALS Canada Canadian ALS Learning Institute (CALI), where people can learn about ALS research and advocacy to become ambassadors for the ALS community.
  • The ALS Canada Genetics Strategy, including a National Genetic Counsellor to support people navigating a potential genetic risk.

As a thank you, you’ll receive an ALS Canada exclusive foldaway tote bag.

Be part of a community that shows up with compassion and takes action. I can’t imagine what the last few years would have looked like without the support and connection our family has received. My hope is that more families facing ALS can experience that same support – even as we continue to search for a cure.

Join us by making a monthly commitment – just click the link and help drive advocacy, community, and research today.

**Monthly donations will be triple-matched thanks to the Colwell-Ellis Charitable Foundation, up to a total of $5,000.