Alain Bérard

Meet Alain Bérard. Alain lives with ALS.

On June 1, 2011, after 11 long months of testing, Alain Bérard received the devastating diagnosis: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Alain was 45 years old. “The news from the neurologist left me, my wife and two children reeling. It is, after all, a death sentence,” says Alain.

That’s because the diagnosis of ALS, a degenerative neuromuscular disease, was coupled with a fatal prognosis: Alain’s life expectancy was 2 to 5 years.

As the motor neurons that communicate with Alain’s muscles, allowing him to move degenerate, Alain will gradually become paralyzed, and eventually lose the ability to move and speak. “I will also lose the ability to feed myself and breathe on my own, and then I’ll die.”

Alain’s disease affects his entire family in every possible way: emotionally, physically and financially.

“Thanks to your donations, I received financial assistance to adapt my home. Your donations helped improve my quality of life. My name is Alain Bérard and I am living proof that donating to HealthPartners works.”

“I’m a member of the ALS Society of Quebec. The Society has been an invaluable resource for me and my family, providing us with both psychological support and information about the disease.”

Alain Bérard