Kevin Canterbury Joins Iron Phi to Join the Fight Against ALS
In the fall of this year, Kevin Canterbury became an Iron Phi after achieving his personal goal of reaching $1,000 in donations for Lou Gehrig’s disease. Iron Phi’s are a distinguished group within the Phi Delta Theta fraternity, and their mission is to provide strength to the Phi Delta Theta International Fraternity and support in the ongoing fight to cure Lou Gehrig’s disease through fundraising and athletics. The mission of Iron Phi stems from the fact that Lou Gehrig was a proud member of Phi Delta Theta and, since his passing due to the disease, the organization has decided to do something bold to show support in his honor. In a show of commitment to Iron Phi and the fight against Lou Gehrig’s disease, each prospective Iron Phi member sets a personal fundraising goal to both strengthen the fraternity and donate to finding a cure.
Kevin Canterbury acknowledges that Lou Gehrig’s disease or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a disease worthy of attention being called to it because much still needs to be done to aid in the mission to contribute to a cure. ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease known for its effect on nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. While medication and therapy can help slow the impact of ALS and contribute to making an individual suffering from it more comfortable, the lack of a cure or known causes means that it is not yet possible to fully alleviate the symptoms of the condition. Because of this, the nerve cell degeneration eventually leads to death in individuals diagnosed with the disease within just a few years.
The realities of ALS and the desire to do something to contribute to research, screening, education, and treatment were driving factors for Kevin Canterbury to become a proud member of Iron Phi. As part of his commitment to assisting in the fight to cure ALS, Kevin Canterbury and other Iron Phi members participated in a 10-mile hike to summit Mt. Humphreys, the highest point in Arizona, for a challenge on October 24th. This Iron Phi challenge stands out as just one of the athletic endeavors that members have completed to show their continued support for those that have been impacted by Lou Gehrig’s disease.
While Iron Phi and a host of other groups are taking action to find a cure for Lou Gehrig’s disease, Kevin Canterbury recognizes that much still needs to be done to make these organizations’ dreams of ending the disease a reality. After all, approximately 5,600 people are diagnosed with ALS yearly, and thousands more lives are impacted by the disease when one is to consider friends and family members helping their loved ones through. For this reason, Kevin Canterbury and Iron Phi will continue to utilize their platform to take an active role in finding a cure.
