He’s a champion for those living with ALS - someone who has become known far and wide for the amazing things he’s accomplished while also battling the disease himself.
After more than a decade of taking part in the Georgetown/Acton Walk to End ALS, Dr. Jeff Sutherland has decided that last Saturday’s walk was his final one.
“It was a hard decision to make,” he told HaltonHillsToday. “Fundraising for 13 years, for a disease that 70 per cent of people diagnosed with die within five years, has been a great privilege for me. Each year ALS takes more from my family and me. It is getting more difficult to get hyped up to fundraise and celebrate now.”
With more than $2.15 million raised by the local walk since its inception, the father of three said he thinks it’s “a nice exit point for my family and I, and at a time when we feel good about handing the torch to others.”
“I am so grateful for the fundraising support that I have received from friends and the community,” he added.
Sutherland said he has enjoyed seeing local families grow up over the years at the walk.
“Before ALS, as a young family with three active sons and as a family doctor who did obstetrics from 1993 to 2009, I was involved in many people's lives,” he said. “It is very special seeing friends and former patients grow up, and the walk gave me the opportunity to catch up with some of these people for a few minutes.”
The money raised through the walk goes toward treatment research for the incurable illness and also helps provide people living with ALS with necessary equipment, support groups, and more.
"The research into treatments provides hope for families, and don't we all need hope in our lives?" said Sutherland.
For further details on the Walk to End ALS, click here.
