As part of our GivingTuesday campaign this year, we wanted to tell the stories of some of our families, and what the ALS Society of Alberta has meant to them as they have faced and lived with an ALS diagnosis. Here is the Keenan Family’s Story:
When Chad Keenan started getting winded walking up the steep Saddledome steps to regular Flames game seats in 2017, he chalked it up to just getting older. Nothing to really worry about. But that was followed by other changes – a new clumsiness that was leading to falls, including one that resulted in a broken ankle. Little things on their own, but Chad and Pam knew that something wasn’t right. After delays and wait lists, an MRI finally identified ALS as a potential diagnosis and an appointment with a neurologist was quickly in place. One week after seeing that neurologist, Chad met with Dr. Korngut at the Calgary ALS Clinic and his diagnosis was confirmed. At 42 years old, with two young daughters, Chad had ALS.
Like most people, Chad and Pam had no personal experience with ALS up to this point, and it was a difficult diagnosis to process. Chad and Pam were both faced with what so many of us feel when diagnosed – what is this disease? What does this mean for our lives and futures? The Clinic put them in touch with the ALS Society of Alberta, and with this team in place, the Keenans started to plan for the future and find a way to move forward.
Pam describes the assistance of the ALS Society of Alberta and the difference it made to them in terms of flipping a switch – there was their mindset before, and their mindset after the Society became part of their lives. The Society is what helped navigate the day to day, managing real-life scenarios such as how to properly set up the home and how to safely take vacations. Chad wanted to focus on how to make the most out of every single day – while he couldn’t control how ALS was progressing, he could control how he reacted, and how he spent his time. Life with ALS was about making things possible, instead of accepting the limitations.
Leslie Ring-Adams was the Keenans’ Client Support Coordinator, and from the get-go made them realize that what they thought might be impossible was actually possible, starting with a trip to Vegas with Chad’s closest friend Kyle to watch an NHL playoff game between the Winnipeg Jets and Las Vegas Knights. When Chad initially questioned the viability of the trip, feeling he wouldn’t be able to enjoy it with his physical limitations, Leslie stepped in “with a timely entrance of a movie action hero” (Chad’s words), offering a motorized scooter. And this was what the ALS Society of Alberta brought to the Keenan family – they were a cheerleader saying “you can do this!”, whether that was a trip to Las Vegas or having the equipment to safely have a shower. Chad and his family and friends could continue to live their lives, even if it meant figuring out an alternate way to make that happen. As Pam says, the ALS Society helped them navigate the day-to-day, and was always a step ahead of his needs.
Pam, Chad and their daughters took a number of vacations together during his illness and travelled to Palm Springs to celebrate their 21st wedding anniversary and New Year’s Eve just a month prior to his passing. Pam describes their ALS journey as giving them a new perspective on life, where every moment feels precious. There is very little about ALS that is in a family’s control, other than how they respond. And with that in mind, the Keenans lived their lives to the fullest in the face of such adversity.As Pam says, “It was about finding the joy in life. Even in the most challenging situations, there is always something to be grateful for.”
When asked about the tangible ways in which the ALS Society of Alberta supported them during Chad’s illness, Pam is quick to mention the support groups for both patients and caregivers. The opportunity to make connections with people who understand what you are going through was imperative to keeping a positive attitude. The support of those groups led to life-long friendships. The equipment loan program was key to their lives during Chad’s illness as well, always helping them stay a step ahead by knowing what they would need before they even knew themselves.
Pam supports the GivingTuesday campaign for the ALS Society of Alberta, and in addition to her family’s story, shares this request for your support as well. “The ALS Society of Alberta was instrumental in helping make our lives easier through equipment loans, ideas on managing issues, and access to support groups. They, along with other charities, have been impacted by COVID as most of their fundraising was event-driven. If you are considering charities to support going forward, I would vouch for the real and tangible ways they use their money to support families dealing with ALS across the province.”
Chad Keenan passed away on January 27, 2020, leaving behind his wife Pam, daughters Tianna and Ainsley, his parents, sister and brother-in-law, parents-in-law, and a large and loving extended family.