North Delta students leading Surrey walk for ALS research
Published 2:30 pm Wednesday, August 5, 2026
Six North Delta youths are hoping to raise more than $52,000 this weekend towards ALS research and patient support.
The team — comprised of Seaquam Secondary students Akshay Kolli, Abhay Thour, Alson Chang, Sivish Shahi, Hrideep Trehan and Mehtaab Makkar — is hosting a community walk on Sunday, Aug. 9 at Hawthorne Rotary Park in Surrey (10513 144 St.) as part of the ALS Society of BC’s Move to Cure campaign.
During the event, there will be lunch served, a live band, raffle prizes, games, a magician and, of course, the walk to symbolically move towards a future without Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).
Commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, ALS is a terminal illness that often claims patients’ lives within three to five years of diagnosis as it gradually takes away their ability to walk, then eat, and eventually breathe.
Though often misconceived as a rare illness, more than 200,000 people around the world are living with ALS. Around 4,000 Canadians are living with ALS at any given time, and around 1,000 people in this country die from ALS every year.
Last year, seven Seaquam students organized their first Surrey Move to Cure ALS walk as part of their “creativity, activity and service” project, a component of the school’s International Baccalaureate program that focuses on learning beyond the classroom.
That event ultimately raised more than $52,000 for the ALS Society of BC, and this year’s six-person squad hopes to beat 2025’s total.
Kolli and Thour, this year’s team leaders, both got involved with the Move to Cure campaign as a way to make a difference in their community.
“This campaign means a lot to me because every dollar we raise helps sup-port people and families affected by ALS while bringing us closer to better treatments,” Thour said.
“I think everyone should come out on Aug. 9 because it’s a fun event with a great atmosphere, but more importantly it’s for an amazing cause. Even just showing up or making a small donation can have a real impact.”
“Every person who attends helps make a difference,” Kolli added. “Whether you participate in the walk, provide a donation, or simply come to show your support, you’re helping raise awareness and funds for individuals and families living with ALS.
“It’s also a great opportunity to connect with the community, honour those living with the disease, and be part of an event that creates real change.”
Chang said he was motivated to get involved in the campaign after interviewing a caregiver named Jim Leader whose partner, Orly, was living with ALS.
“They had planned to spend their retirement years travelling the world and enjoying life side by side, but after Orly’s diagnosis, those dreams were no longer possible. Hearing how ALS robbed them was heartbreaking, but it also reminded me not to take the time I have with the people I love for granted,” Chang said.
“I wanted to get involved to help create a future where more families and loved ones can spend time with each other, just like how I am able to with mine.”
Chang said being diagnosed with Bell’s palsy when he was 11 years old, though a very different condition than ALS, gave him a small glimpse into what paralysis can feel like.
“Having part of my face temporarily paralyzed was already frustrating and emotionally difficult. I can’t imagine what it would be like to lose control of my entire body,” he said.
“That experience has made me deeply empathetic toward people living with ALS and motivates me to support those who cannot fight this disease alone.”
In-person registration for the 2026 Move to Cure ALS Surrey opens at 10 a.m., with a warm up at 10:45, followed by speeches at 11 before the walk at 11:30. A pizza lunch is available by donation starting at noon.
More information, including links to register and donate, can be found at movetocurealsbc.donordrive.com/surrey2026.