The ALS Society of British Columbia and PROJECT HOPE
The ALS Society of British Columbia (ALS BC) is a registered non-profit charity supporting ALS patients, their families, and caregivers to ensure the best quality of life possible for those living with and affected by ALS.
The ALS BC community, including donors and patients, firmly believes that we are standing on the threshold of unprecedented hope. With many ALS therapies showing great promise in late-stage clinical trials and the UBC Faculty of Medicine ready to accelerate translational research, now is the time to invest in building research capacity for ALS right here in British Columbia.
PROJECT HOPE is the unwavering commitment of ALS BC to support research with the ultimate goal of discovering the cause of and cure for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).
How will PROJECT HOPE help find the cause of and a cure for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)?
ALS BC, in partnership with the Province of BC, has made a significant contribution of $5.3M to establish a perpetuity-endowed trust to fund the ALS Society of BC Professorship in ALS Research at UBC. Furthermore, the society has pledged an additional $1.5M over a period of ten years to support the Professorship.
Our aim with the Professorship is to establish an ideal setting that merges research and clinical care. Our objective is to enhance clinical care by promoting advanced ALS research and treatment innovations at UBC. To achieve this, ALS BC has committed to donating an additional $20M to UBC to support this ambitious goal. We hope that this commitment will benefit all Canadians who are affected by ALS, as well as those who have other neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
Dr. Erik P. Pioro, MD, Ph.D., FRCPC, FAAN, an experienced senior clinician-scientist focusing on ALS, has been appointed to play a crucial role in advancing innovative treatment options for patients in British Columbia. His expertise and guidance will help establish the province as a leading center for ALS research nationally and internationally. Dr. Pioro’s work will ensure that patients in British Columbia have access to the latest clinical trials and enhanced care.
The future of PROJECT HOPE
The ALS clinic is moving to UBC in an effort to create a world-class ALS Centre. UBC has committed funding for the ALS Society of BC Professorship in ALS Research through their President’s Academic Excellence Initiative, and it will help support Dr. Pioro in bringing new faculty to the university, which will significantly enhance the research and teaching environment for all students, graduates, and undergraduates. It will strengthen the research ecosystem and ensure research impact, with the ultimate goal of ending ALS.
“The partnership between the ALS Society and UBC is an historic leap toward meaningful change for all those living with ALS here in BC and beyond,” said Dr. Jon Stoessl, professor and head of UBC’s department of neurology. “Patients are counting on us to improve access to treatment, develop new therapies and move closer to a cure for ALS. Local patient participation in clinical trials will be critical to achieving these bold aims.”
Andrew Eisen
ALS Physician Scientist and Founder of the ALS Society of British Columbia.
MP Elizabeth May
Member of Parliament - Saanich—Gulf Islands, British Columbia
BC Liberal Caucus
Jeff Derby
Living with ALS
Vancouver Sun
Dr. Erik P. Pioro will lead PROJECT HOPE for ALS Society of BC
14% funded
$2,985,212.08
Donated of $20,000,000.00 goalSee who is donating right now
- Maxine Rollins
- 2023 - 40% of Move to Cure ALS Proceeds
- Lori Odam
- Denis & June Wood
- Joan Smith
- Fred Willows
- Dylan and Miranda Reece Fund held at the Nicola Wealth Private Giving Foundation
- ELK Fund held at the Nicola Wealth Private Giving Fund
- John and Jo Beer
- Dr Charles Krieger
Share on your platforms
Top donors
- We are extremely grateful for the generous support of PROJECT HOPE and are pleased to announce the $5.3 Million goal has been achieved! Special thanks to the Province of BC for contributing $3 Million. The remaining $2.3 Million was donated by British Columbians.
- Trust and Gift Agreements between the ALS Society of BC and the University of BC are in place to fund the ALS Society of BC ALS Research Professorship.
- The recruitment process to hire a senior ALS Clinician Scientist to champion the project is underway.
- UBC has committed funding through the President’s Academic Excellence Initiative to support the recruitment of a senior ALS clinician-scientist and bring clinical trials to patients with ALS faster.