On National Caregivers Day, ALS Canada expands national mental health supports for caregivers with funding from Petro‑Canada CareMakers Foundation

Expanded virtual program connects caregivers to mental health support anywhere in Canada

TORONTO, April 07, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In recognition of National Caregivers Day, caregivers for people living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) across Canada will have access to an expanded national mental health support program through the ALS Society of Canada (ALS Canada), made possible with generous funding from the Petro‑Canada CareMakers Foundation.

An ALS diagnosis is life-changing, not only for the person receiving it, but for the spouse, parent, child, sibling, or friend who steps into the role of caregiver. As the disease can progress rapidly and care needs intensify, caregivers often become full‑time coordinators, advocates, and hands‑on providers of complex daily care while confronting grief, fear, exhaustion, and uncertainty about the future.

Through a partnership with AWC Grief Support, the expanded program will provide caregivers across Canada with access to provincially licensed therapists for up to four virtual therapy sessions. Offered as part of ALS Canada’s National Mental Health Program, the therapy services build on national caregiver supports, including virtual support groups, webinars, and fact sheets. The program is designed to help caregivers manage stress, anxiety, anticipatory grief, burnout, and the isolation that can accompany caring for someone living with a progressive and terminal disease like ALS.

“Caregivers for people living with ALS carry an extraordinary emotional and physical load,” said Kim Barry, Vice‑President, Community Services, ALS Canada. “They are adapting in real time to constant change while witnessing a loved one lose function and independence. That emotional impact can be overwhelming. Access to timely mental health support can make a critical difference in helping caregivers sustain themselves through the progression of the disease and what comes next.”

Today, nearly 4,000 Canadians are living with ALS, a neuromuscular disease that progressively paralyzes people as the brain loses the ability to communicate with the muscles we move at will. As mobility, speech, and breathing are affected, care needs intensify. For many caregivers, this means providing complex daily support while balancing employment, parenting, other family responsibilities, navigating medical appointments, securing equipment, and finding their way through a complex health‑care system, often at the expense of their own mental health.

“Family caregivers are the silent backbone of our communities and we are honoured to support ALS Canada in expanding this vital national mental health program,” said Leila Fenc, Executive Director, Petro-Canada CareMakers Foundation. “Through our funding, we’re pleased to help make these enhanced supports accessible to caregivers across Canada, so they can access the professional mental health care they need, wherever they live. Ensuring family caregivers are valued, recognized, and supported is the heart of our mission.”

This national expansion builds on learnings from the ALS Canada Caregivers Support Program, a caregiver mental health pilot launched in Ontario in 2025, generously funded by the Rexall Care Network. Strong community uptake and feedback underscored the need for the program to be available nationally. Delivered virtually, the program ensures caregivers can access support regardless of where they live in Canada.

On National Caregivers Day, ALS Canada recognizes the resilience of caregivers and reminds them that they are not alone. ALS Canada’s Community Leads provide direct support to people living with ALS in Ontario, along with national information and resources, including virtual webinars and support groups, available at als.ca.

For more information about eligibility and how to access the ALS Canada Caregiver Mental Health Support Program, visit als.ca/mentalhealth.

About ALS and the ALS Society of Canada

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an unrelenting and currently terminal disease. It progressively paralyzes people because the brain is no longer able to communicate with the muscles of the body that we are typically able to move at will. Over time, as the muscles of the body break down, someone living with ALS will lose the ability to walk, talk, eat, swallow, and eventually breathe. Nearly 4,000 Canadians live with ALS and approximately 1,000 Canadians are diagnosed each year. Four out of five people living with ALS will die within two to five years of their diagnosis.

The ALS Society of Canada is working to change what it means to live with ALS. Grounded in and informed by the Canadian ALS community, we respond to the urgent unmet need for life-changing treatments by investing in high-quality research that will fuel scientific discovery and by engaging industry, supporting increased clinical capacity, and advocating for equitable, affordable, and timely access to proven therapies.

Responding to the tremendous need for current and credible ALS knowledge, awareness, and education, we empower Canadians affected by ALS to navigate the current realities of ALS, be informed consumers of ALS information, and advocate effectively for change. In Ontario, we provide direct community services to help people navigate ALS.

Founded in 1977, we are a registered charity whose work is powered by generous donors who share our vision of a world free of ALS.

Join the conversation and connect with the ALS community online. Find ALS Canada on X, Instagram, or like our page on Facebook. Visit als.ca to find out more.

For more information
ALS Society of Canada
media@als.ca
437-703-5402

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