In the fall of 2012, after living with primary lateral sclerosis (PLS) for six years, Neil Hemming and his family were hit with the knowledge that his condition had progressed to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

91裸聊视频淭he news (struck) us like a tonne of bricks,91裸聊视频� said Deana Larsson, Hemming91裸聊视频檚 daughter, as she teared up. 91裸聊视频淭here just aren91裸聊视频檛 any words for how it felt, it was absolutely gut-wrenching.91裸聊视频�

ALS, or Lou Gehrig91裸聊视频檚 disease as it91裸聊视频檚 also known in North America, is a fatal neurodegenerative disease. And although PLS and ALS are related, the former doesn91裸聊视频檛 always progress to the latter, explained Larsson. 91裸聊视频淲e thought we were in the clear as it usually transitions within a few years if it91裸聊视频檚 going to at all.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淎LS can happen to anybody at any time,91裸聊视频� said Wendy Toyer, executive director of the . 91裸聊视频淎nd there91裸聊视频檚 no known cause or known cure.91裸聊视频�

Currently, there91裸聊视频檚 anywhere up to 3,000 Canadians living with ALS, and about 400 of those reside within the province: however, each day two or three British Columbians succumb to the disease.

91裸聊视频淲ith ALS, motor neurons are killed and once the last motor neuron in a muscle is dead, you91裸聊视频檒l never get it back. It effects everyone differently, but (essentially) your voluntary muscles deteriorate until paralysis. For some, only eye movement remains but the (mind) is still totally fully functional.91裸聊视频�

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So when her father91裸聊视频檚 diagnoses came, Larsson, who91裸聊视频檚 an elementary school teacher and mother to two young daughters, said she began looking for books for her three- and five-year-olds to help them understand what was happening to their grandfather.

91裸聊视频淭here were a few different things available, but almost every one of them had pictures of somebody in a hospital hooked up to tubes and wires, and this and that,91裸聊视频� continued Larsson.

91裸聊视频淵es, (ALS) is real, and I wasn91裸聊视频檛 trying to pretend it wasn91裸聊视频檛, I was just looking for a softer presentation that wasn91裸聊视频檛 so doom and gloom. I do know, obviously, that there91裸聊视频檚 a lot about ALS that is doom and gloom, but there91裸聊视频檚 a lot that isn91裸聊视频檛.

91裸聊视频淢y dad was still my dad inside, even though his body was failing him, and I wanted that to be the focus (for my children): it91裸聊视频檚 still Gramps, and no matter what happens, he91裸聊视频檒l always love you.91裸聊视频�

So shortly after her father learned of his health deterioration, Larsson sat down and put paper to pen, writing I Love My Gramps91裸聊视频�a book about ALS for children91裸聊视频攊n about an hour.

91裸聊视频淚 knew I could write, I wrote this (book),91裸聊视频� continued Larsson. 91裸聊视频淏ut if it91裸聊视频檚 a children91裸聊视频檚 book, which is what I had envisioned in my head, I couldn91裸聊视频檛 draw a stick person to save my life, so I needed (to find) somebody who has a vision, has a heart for it, and is willing to help me out.91裸聊视频�

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With that in mind, Larsson says she spoke with a pastor at her church and was directed to one of the congregation91裸聊视频檚 youth members, Shannon Budau.

91裸聊视频淒eana approached me out of the blue,91裸聊视频� recalled Budau. 91裸聊视频淪he told me our pastor had referred her to me because I was artsy and liked drawing. She told me she had roughed up this children91裸聊视频檚 book and 91裸聊视频� asked me if I wanted to be part of it.

91裸聊视频淚 was right out of high school and had no experience illustrating a book, especially a children91裸聊视频檚 book, but I thought this could be a fun project,91裸聊视频� continued Budau.

However, before either party made a commitment to the other, Budau drew her vision for the story91裸聊视频檚 main character and sent it to Larsson.

It was then, while looking at the little blonde girl with pigtails Budau had drawn for the book, that Larsson knew she91裸聊视频檇 found her illustrator.

91裸聊视频淚 just fell in love with that little girl,91裸聊视频� said Larsson. 91裸聊视频淚 knew then Shannon had to be the illustrator.91裸聊视频�

After that, Shannon says she 91裸聊视频渟tarted falling in love with the story along with Deana,91裸聊视频� and used her knowledge of the family and their stories to draw a series of pictures she believed would help children understand the book91裸聊视频檚 message.

91裸聊视频淚 blended (Neil91裸聊视频檚) multiple grandchildren together into that one little girl,91裸聊视频� explained Budau. 91裸聊视频淚 wanted (the images) to look childlike and cartoony, but I also wanted it to be real and bright and happy.91裸聊视频�

So in her spare time, Budau would put pencil crayon to sketch pad and delve into the world of I Love My Gramps, bringing Larsson91裸聊视频檚 words to life on the page.

91裸聊视频淒eana told me stories about how her dad made a (wooden) train and boxes (for the grandkids), and I really made sure those were part of it,91裸聊视频� said Budau.

91裸聊视频淚 saw the progression in Neil,91裸聊视频� Budau continued. 91裸聊视频淭his disease takes (people) away even before they91裸聊视频檙e gone. It was really rough the last few months, watching him still be present in his mind but having his body not working.

91裸聊视频淪o I really see the value in this book, and can91裸聊视频檛 wait to read it to my children when I have them and teach them about this disease, and how there91裸聊视频檚 still hope even if they lose somebody. (No matter what,) there91裸聊视频檚 still good things that come from life.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淪tories can be told over and over again,91裸聊视频� added Toyer. 91裸聊视频淭hat helps children understand. This (book) is a way to not only provide a tool, but to include the child in the family. ALS doesn91裸聊视频檛 just happen to one person, it happens to the whole family, and (projects like theses) give children the acknowledgement they need.91裸聊视频�

But more than a tool, Larsson says the book is also a way for her to give back to those who helped her family through such a difficult time: 50 per cent of the book91裸聊视频檚 $20 cost will be donated to the ALS Society of BC.

91裸聊视频淲ithout the ALS Society, my dad91裸聊视频檚 journey would have been completely different,91裸聊视频� explained Larsson. 91裸聊视频淭he equipment they had to offer: my dad had wheelchairs, walkers, special equipment in the bathroom, a hospital bed, a lift, and a special chair in the living room that would lift him to standing. We didn91裸聊视频檛 pay for any of (them), they were on loan from the ALS Society.

91裸聊视频淚f families were to have to pay for those things, I don91裸聊视频檛 see how they could. So when people donate to the Ice Bucket Challenge, or to the Walk, or buy a book where half of the proceeds go to the ALS Society, it might not seem like a big deal (at the time), but to the people in those families (dealing with ALS), it91裸聊视频檚 life changing.91裸聊视频�

The official book launch for I Love My Gramps isn91裸聊视频檛 until June 16, however, copies of the book are already available for purchase by emailing ILoveMyGrampsbyDeanaLarsson@gmail.com. Larsson and Budau will also be at the , which is on Saturday, June 9, at Mill Lake Park in Abbotsford, selling copies of the book.

Sarah.Gawdin@theprogress.com
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