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).

害羞草研究所淭he news (struck) us like a tonne of bricks,害羞草研究所� said Deana Larsson, Hemming害羞草研究所檚 daughter, as she teared up. 害羞草研究所淭here just aren害羞草研究所檛 any words for how it felt, it was absolutely gut-wrenching.害羞草研究所�

ALS, or Lou Gehrig害羞草研究所檚 disease as it害羞草研究所檚 also known in North America, is a fatal neurodegenerative disease. And although PLS and ALS are related, the former doesn害羞草研究所檛 always progress to the latter, explained Larsson. 害羞草研究所淲e thought we were in the clear as it usually transitions within a few years if it害羞草研究所檚 going to at all.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淎LS can happen to anybody at any time,害羞草研究所� said Wendy Toyer, executive director of the . 害羞草研究所淎nd there害羞草研究所檚 no known cause or known cure.害羞草研究所�

Currently, there害羞草研究所檚 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.

害羞草研究所淲ith ALS, motor neurons are killed and once the last motor neuron in a muscle is dead, you害羞草研究所檒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.害羞草研究所�

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So when her father害羞草研究所檚 diagnoses came, Larsson, who害羞草研究所檚 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.

害羞草研究所淭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,害羞草研究所� continued Larsson.

害羞草研究所淵es, (ALS) is real, and I wasn害羞草研究所檛 trying to pretend it wasn害羞草研究所檛, I was just looking for a softer presentation that wasn害羞草研究所檛 so doom and gloom. I do know, obviously, that there害羞草研究所檚 a lot about ALS that is doom and gloom, but there害羞草研究所檚 a lot that isn害羞草研究所檛.

害羞草研究所淢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): it害羞草研究所檚 still Gramps, and no matter what happens, he害羞草研究所檒l always love you.害羞草研究所�

So shortly after her father learned of his health deterioration, Larsson sat down and put paper to pen, writing I Love My Gramps害羞草研究所�a book about ALS for children害羞草研究所攊n about an hour.

害羞草研究所淚 knew I could write, I wrote this (book),害羞草研究所� continued Larsson. 害羞草研究所淏ut if it害羞草研究所檚 a children害羞草研究所檚 book, which is what I had envisioned in my head, I couldn害羞草研究所檛 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.害羞草研究所�

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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 congregation害羞草研究所檚 youth members, Shannon Budau.

害羞草研究所淒eana approached me out of the blue,害羞草研究所� recalled Budau. 害羞草研究所淪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 children害羞草研究所檚 book and 害羞草研究所� asked me if I wanted to be part of it.

害羞草研究所淚 was right out of high school and had no experience illustrating a book, especially a children害羞草研究所檚 book, but I thought this could be a fun project,害羞草研究所� continued Budau.

However, before either party made a commitment to the other, Budau drew her vision for the story害羞草研究所檚 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 she害羞草研究所檇 found her illustrator.

害羞草研究所淚 just fell in love with that little girl,害羞草研究所� said Larsson. 害羞草研究所淚 knew then Shannon had to be the illustrator.害羞草研究所�

After that, Shannon says she 害羞草研究所渟tarted falling in love with the story along with Deana,害羞草研究所� and used her knowledge of the family and their stories to draw a series of pictures she believed would help children understand the book害羞草研究所檚 message.

害羞草研究所淚 blended (Neil害羞草研究所檚) multiple grandchildren together into that one little girl,害羞草研究所� explained Budau. 害羞草研究所淚 wanted (the images) to look childlike and cartoony, but I also wanted it to be real and bright and happy.害羞草研究所�

So in her spare time, Budau would put pencil crayon to sketch pad and delve into the world of I Love My Gramps, bringing Larsson害羞草研究所檚 words to life on the page.

害羞草研究所淒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,害羞草研究所� said Budau.

害羞草研究所淚 saw the progression in Neil,害羞草研究所� Budau continued. 害羞草研究所淭his disease takes (people) away even before they害羞草研究所檙e gone. It was really rough the last few months, watching him still be present in his mind but having his body not working.

害羞草研究所淪o I really see the value in this book, and can害羞草研究所檛 wait to read it to my children when I have them and teach them about this disease, and how there害羞草研究所檚 still hope even if they lose somebody. (No matter what,) there害羞草研究所檚 still good things that come from life.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淪tories can be told over and over again,害羞草研究所� added Toyer. 害羞草研究所淭hat helps children understand. This (book) is a way to not only provide a tool, but to include the child in the family. ALS doesn害羞草研究所檛 just happen to one person, it happens to the whole family, and (projects like theses) give children the acknowledgement they need.害羞草研究所�

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 book害羞草研究所檚 $20 cost will be donated to the ALS Society of BC.

害羞草研究所淲ithout the ALS Society, my dad害羞草研究所檚 journey would have been completely different,害羞草研究所� explained Larsson. 害羞草研究所淭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 didn害羞草研究所檛 pay for any of (them), they were on loan from the ALS Society.

害羞草研究所淚f families were to have to pay for those things, I don害羞草研究所檛 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), it害羞草研究所檚 life changing.害羞草研究所�

The official book launch for I Love My Gramps isn害羞草研究所檛 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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