At the end of January, Albertan Chris Clarke, alongside 3 close friends, will climb Mount Kilimanjaro (Africa’s highest summit) in honour of his father, Aussie, who lived with ALS. Aussie resided in Edmonton and was supported by the ALS Society of Alberta, after his diagnosis in July 2021.
We are honoured that Chris has chosen to donate 50 per cent of funds raised to the ALS Society of Alberta, going toward the Equipment Loan Program and Client Services across the province. With a fundraising goal of $20,000, this contribution is sure to make a significant difference in the lives of those living with and affected by ALS in Alberta.
When speaking of his father, Chris said “our world changed quite a lot. Things moved really quickly. Within the course of a few months of his diagnosis, he had lost the ability to move independently without aides, and then a few months later he had vocal changes and ultimately lost his ability to speak.”
“The ALS Society of Alberta is an incredible community organization that provided my family and others like ours with a support network and vital equipment including wheelchairs and mechanical lifts, free of charge, allowing us to manage Dad’s care at home for as long as was possible. For context, the care and equipment cost of ALS to a family is on average between $150,000 - 250,000,” explained Chris.
On behalf of the ALS Society of Alberta, we’d like to thank Chris Clarke for his incredible bravery and dedication to the ALS cause. A whopping 19,431 summit, Christopher’s climb of Mount Kilimanjaro will not only raise much needed funds for ALS, but awareness across the community as his story is shared.
We will be sharing updates from Chris’s journey, and we encourage you to follow the ALS Society of Alberta to hear the latest news.
