The solidarity campaign "Elles contra l'ELA" starts today with the aim of raising awareness about this disease and raise funds for research. This project is promoted by the IDIBELL’s research group in neurological diseases and neurogenetics and the HUB’s Functional Unit of Motor Neuron Disease of the Neurology Service, with the support of the Fundació Catalana d'ELA Miquel Valls and the University of Barcelona (UB). The project is sponsored by Vueling, Macbor and Ferrer.
Until 21 June, several initiatives will be carried out as part of the campaign to promote donations using the Bizum code 02621.
Also, on 11 and 12 June, the 1st Women against ALS 7-a-side football tournament will take place, linking sport and science, with all profits going to research. Registration is open on the campaign website www.ellescontraela.org.
The research group is sponsored by Carlota Planas Riera, founder of the representation agency "Unik Sports Management", and the tournament is sponsored and will be attended by Patri Guijarro, FC Barcelona player.
What is ALS?
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease that affects the motor neurons in the brain, brainstem and spinal cord (which are the cells responsible for transmitting the order for voluntary movement from the brain to the muscles) causing the brain to lose its ability to control muscle movement.
As a result, people with this disease suffer from muscle atrophy that evolves to progressive paralysis and can affect the ability to speak, swallow and breathe.
The origin or cause of ALS is not currently known, but it is associated with certain risk factors such as the presence of genetic mutations or aging. In addition to these factors, as explained by Dr Pol Andrés Benito, Principal Investigator of the IDIBELL’s research group on neurological diseases and neurogenetics, it has also been shown that it has a close relationship with the practice of high-intensity sport: "One of the things we know about ALS is its link with the practice of high-intensity sport. Playing sport is healthy. However, historically, a risk factor for ALS has been high-intensity sport by professional men. Nowadays, with the rise of women's sport, this may begin to change. The acquisition of new lifestyles and life roles by women thanks to the society progress may lead to new factors, both risk and protective, affecting the incidence of the disease. In order to broaden our knowledge of the disease and to study the relationship between gender, lifestyle and sporting activity, we have organised a charity women's football tournament to raise funds for research.”
1st "Elles contra l'ELA"
Tournament The highlight of the campaign will be the 1st Women's 7-a-side football tournament "Elles contra l'ELA" which will take place on 11 and 12 June at the Mar Bella - Instalación Agapito Fernández sports complex. For two days, 16 amateur football teams will play to raise funds for ALS research. Registration is now open on the campaign website www.ellescontraela.org.
Besides football, the tournament will also host other sporting activities for everyone, such as yoga and physical activity classes, as well as informative talks on the disease and its multidisciplinary approach for patients and their families.
The prize-giving ceremony will take place on Sunday 12 June and will be given by Patri Guijarro, FC Barcelona player. "We are very happy to participate in this initiative and join forces to invest more in research, which is essential in a rare and unknown disease like ALS. In addition, 'Elles contra l'ELA' is part of a very important month for us as it is the annual month dedicated to raising awareness of this disease," concludes Esther Sellés, Director of the Fundació Catalana d'ELA Miquel Valls.
The official amount of raised funds by the campaign will be made public on 21 June 2022 - World ALS Day - and all them will go to IDIBELL’s research projects. The team involved in "Elles contra l'ELA" is made up of volunteers and, therefore, in no case the money raised will be used for allowances, salaries or expenses not related to research.
Take part by making a donation using the Bizum code 02621.