The Ottawa Senators are rallying around assistant coach Bob Jones after his amyotrophic lateral sclerosis diagnosis. Check it out here.
Assistant coach Bob Jones diagnosed with ALS.
Ottawa Senators assistant coach Bob Jones announced publicly this morning that he has been diagnosed with ALS.
The 53-year-old and his family hope that by making his diagnosis public, it will help raise awareness of the disease.
The family has asked that those considering contributions consider both the ALS Society of Canada and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
Prior to joining the Senators coaching staff, Jones was an assistant coach with the AHL’s Texas Stars for one season and held various coaching roles in the OHL for over 20 seasons.
“A devoted member of our family, Bob Jones, has been diagnosed with ALS,” said Senators GM Pierre Dorion in a press release. “Bob and his family’s wishes to take the courageous step of making his condition public in an effort to drive ALS awareness as he fights this disease.”
Teams, players and fans of the league are pouring in their support for Bob and his family and have joined him in his battle against ALS.
ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a progressive neurodegenarative disease that affects neurons in the brain and spinal cord. Unfortunately, there is no known cure for ALS. Also patients gradually lose the ability to voluntarily move, speak, and eat. By making his diagnosis public, Bob Jones and his family aim to raise awareness about ALS and to raise funds for research on ALS and urge those willing to contribute to consider ALS Society of Canada and Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
What is ALS ?
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord.
ALS is a fatal type of motor neuron disease, which is characterized by the progressive degeneration of nerve cells in the spinal cord and brain. It is also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
Also there is currently no cure for ALS. Over a period of three to five years, the disease will progress, making the voluntary movement of arms and legs impossible.
Over time, the affected person will need help with personal care, eating, and mobility.
The affected person may eventually need a ventilator to breathe. Sadly, most people with ALS die from respiratory failure.
The ALS diagnosis is devastating news for Bob Jones and his family. However, the assistant coach of the Ottawa Senators has announced that he will continue to fulfill his duties with the club.