08/29/2026
In 2027, the ALS Society of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia will recognize **40 years of serving people living with ALS and their families.**
At the heart of our work is our signature **Equipment Loan Program**. We loan mobility, breathing, communication and other assistive equipment **free of charge, with no financial means testing.**
Why no means testing?
Before ALS, a person may have had a good income, a home, a car and the ability to comfortably meet their financial obligations. An ALS diagnosis can change everything. The person with ALS often has to stop working, and sometimes a spouse or family member must reduce their hours or leave work to provide care. At the same time, expenses begin to grow.
We don't believe families should have to exhaust their savings or prove financial hardship before receiving equipment they need to be safe and comfortable at home. **When equipment is needed, we want to provide it as quickly as possible.**
We also don't require people with private medical insurance to use that coverage first. Many insurance plans have lifetime limits for medical equipment—often $10,000 to $25,000—and significant co-payments. ALS is expensive. We want families to save their insurance coverage, and their own money, for the things the ALS Society cannot provide.
Are there limits? Of course. We have a responsibility to use our resources wisely and do the most good for the most people. Sometimes our equipment is more **"Ford" than "Ferrari."** It may not have every premium feature, but it will safely get you where you need to go.
How do we know if we are doing a good job? We hold ourselves to a simple but powerful **Standard of Care:**
**Every person living with ALS in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia is comfortable, safe and mobile, has the breathing assistance they need, and is able to communicate.**
For 40 years, that has been our purpose: helping people with ALS live safely and comfortably, with dignity, at home and surrounded by the people they love.
