LET'S MAKE A FUSS!

A concert to benefit ALS research at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre.

Sunnybrook is pioneering the use of focused ultrasound to treat brain disorders and cancers. With donor support, Sunnybrook is healing previously unreachable parts of the brain, and reducing risk of life-altering side-effects - no cutting required. With the most clinical trials in focused ultrasound of any site in the world, Sunnybrook scientists and clinicians are leading the application of focused ultrasound to diverse areas including ALS, Alzheimer's, brain tumours, Parkinson's disease, major depression and more.

THEIR STORY

My husband, Dr. Errol Gay, and I want to share our journey with you, but more importantly we want to make sure that other families won’t have to make this journey, if at all possible. We are putting a concert together with members of the TSO, COC, & various musical groups we have served in the past 35 years.  Errol named it:  “LET’S MAKE A FUSS" with all donations going towards ALS Research at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) is a progressive nervous system (neurological) disease that destroys nerve cells and causes disability.  Presently there is no known cure, but the ALS research team at Sunnybrook is on the brink of a possible treatment for the disease and we want to help spread the word and enable the team to continue this vital research. 
 
Errol worked as a music librarian for 24 1/2 years with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, earned a doctorate from Stanford University (CA) in instrumental conducting, taught music at various universities in Canada and the USA, served as music director-conductor for the Canadian Opera Touring Company, conducted various community and university orchestras, and is the composer of three operas written for the Canadian Children’s Opera Company.  I was an organist, opera singer, conductor, taught music at the university, community, and public school levels in Canada and the USA, founded two children’s choirs in Toronto, & was Executive Artistic Director/Conductor of the Canadian Children’s Opera Company from 2000-2015.  Because music has been such an important part of our lives, we are grateful to all our musician friends for their willingness to present this concert for such a worthy cause.  Errol was diagnosed with ALS in July of 2016 and the journey has been a challenging one.  We are grateful to be in Toronto near family and dear friends. We have recently welcomed a second baby boy into the family, so this is a joyful time in spite of the challenges.  There was a sign burnt into a piece of wood in the Texas ALS clinic and it serves as a good mantra…”Keep on keeping on.”  ❤️Ann & Errol