Tom's battle with ALS \ MND

We are fundraising for the care of Tom Kennelly, an Irish Canadian family man and ex rugby, and GAA football player, who is battling ALS (or Motor Neurone Disease). There is no known cure for his condition and Tom has defied medical science through the strength of his character and love of life in his 17-year long battle against this horrible disease.

ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), MND or Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a debilitating progressive neurological disease in which the nerves that control voluntary muscles stop working. ALS attacks the motor neurons or nerves in the brain and spinal cord, and as these motor neurons are gradually lost, the muscles they control become weak and eventually waste and become non-functional. Essentially, with ALS/MND, Tom has become trapped in his own body.

ALS has robbed Tom of his ability to perform everyday tasks and to do things such as talking, his ability to eat, walking by himself, and dressing himself. Tom was a great cook who enjoyed nothing more than eating and socialising with others. Tom was a keen sportsman and played and competed fiercely in every sport he played. It is that fight that has kept him alive over the last few years. We need support in order to provide Tom with the equipment he needs and to cover expenses as his family cares for him at home.

Tom has been fighting ALS for over 17 years, but the last few years have been particularly tough. In 2021, Tom had a choking incident on May 7th and eventually lost consciousness. His youngest son, Shane, was fortunately at home and jumped into action, administered CPR, and saved his life.

Unfortunately, since then, Tom has suffered 2 cardiac arrests, contracted Covid-19 and was hospitalised from May 07, 2021, to April 05, 2022.

Tom was unfortunately back in hospital after another set-back in August 2023. Tom fell and fractured his shoulder and elbow. Tom was discharged but his stats dropped, and he began to feel ill again on the drive home so he was rushed back to hospital. Tom had picked up Covid-19 again and has been put back on oxygen support as a result. He was discharged again on September 25th.

Tom and his wife, Linda, now require immediate and ongoing financial support to cover medical expenses, medical equipment, and help make ends meet so that Tom will be safe and comfortable at home while battling this disease.

For those of you that can donate to this fund, all money raised will go towards Tom’s medical and living needs. Thank you all for your continued kindness and ongoing support.

Liam, Shane, and Linda Kennelly

***** Additional / background Info: *****

What is ALS / MND ?

Please put yourself in Toms shoes (or rugby boots) for a few minutes. Tom’s shoes would have been once filled with a vibrant man who also had many friends. Tom would have once been a very active man who played rugby for multiple clubs in 2 countries and his province in Ontario. Tom used to run a security systems business and provided his services to clients and jobs to employees for over 20 years. Tom used to coach his son's Hockey and Rugby teams. But now Tom continues to battle with ALS (MND) disease and everyday tasks are done differently for Tom. For example Tom is now fed through a G-Tube and has a tracheostomy tube fitted for lung suctioning and ventilation at night.

Tom has been battling ALS for many years, but 2021 to 2023 were very challenging years as there were several setbacks.

2021: Tom slipped and fractured his shoulder in January, fell and crushed his elbow and then came down with Covid-19 in April, he choked in May and was admitted to hospital full time where has suffered two cardiac arrests, a collapsed lung, pneumonia and Hematoma on the hip. The series of events in the last year has set Tom back, but he has not given up and has continued to fight, exceeding everyone’s expectations.

Tom was eventually moved to Toronto Grace Hospital in Toronto, where he has received excellent care and rehab. Despite suffering atrophy in his legs, Tom has remained determined to build up strength, and has regained his ability to walk again with assistance. This goes to show how relentless Tom is.

Tom was discharged from Toronto Grace in November 2021 but due to the home care nursing shortage made worse by Covid-19, Tom could not come home until April 2022.

In August of 2023, Tom had another fall, resulting in a fractured shoulder and elbow. Tom was not feeling particularly well when he left hospital so he returned to hospital again. Turns out Tom had picked up Covid-19 again. Tom required the use of oxygen machines to continue to breathe. Weaning Tom off the oxygen support, rehab, and getting him ready again to go home took many weeks.

Tom has always been a strong and independent man who would rather not bother anyone else with his problems. Still, he will continue to face ongoing costs for medicine, tube feeding, equipment, and more. Not all of Tom’s ALS requirements are publicly funded. We are now looking for help with these expenses and make ends meet at home so that we can give Tom a better quality of Life.

Tom is a loving husband to Linda, father of two sons, Liam and Shane, sibling to Colleen, Mike, Maureen, Kathleen, Tim and Eileen and a friend to many. Tom was a very social man, a fabulous cook and is truly blessed to have beautiful friendships, many of which were formed through sport. He played rugby for the Toronto Irish (now Markham Irish) where he captained for 5 years, Lansdowne Rugby Club in Dublin Ireland, and Tralee Rugby club in County Kerry, Ireland. Tom has also shared some of his knowledge with youth in the community as a coach. Tom was a head coach at Junior level for the Aurora Barbarians Rugby Club for six years, where both Shane and Liam played. Tom also had the opportunity to coach both of his sons during their time with the Schomberg Minor Hockey Association (now part of King Minor Hockey Association). Tom lost a brother and sister in the last 3 years.