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Five students from across Canada whose families have been directly impacted by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) have been awarded the ALS Canada Kevin Daly Bursary to help pursue their post-secondary education.
Each recipient will receive $2,500 for the 2025–2026 academic year. The bursary, launched in 2023, honours the legacy of Kevin Daly, a Telus employee, husband, and father diagnosed with ALS in 2020 and who passed away in 2024. The program is supported by donations through ALS Canada and the Telus Team Care program.
Chris Pon, vice president of fund development at ALS Canada, said:
“This bursary not only eases the financial burden of post-secondary education, but it also supports students who aspire to build careers that will advance ALS care, research, advocacy, and support people affected by the disease.”
The 2025 recipients are:
Jayson Brown, 18 – Studying elementary education at King’s University College in Ontario. After his father’s ALS diagnosis, he became a caregiver while leading fundraising campaigns and media partnerships.
Chris Clarke, MD, 30 – A UBC medical resident who paused his training to care for his father. He founded ALS Climbing for a Cure, raising over $24,000 by summiting Mount Kilimanjaro, and plans to complete the Seven Summits.
Madison Corkum, 18 – A cognitive science student at Carleton University, caring for both her grandmother and mother affected by ALS. She runs an outreach page and leads fundraising teams.
Paige Diewert, 22 – A master’s student in library and information studies at the University of Alberta. Her experience as caregiver inspired her to improve information access for ALS families.
Peyton Schmidt, 17 – A commerce student at the University of Calgary. She supported her father with ALS while leading awareness projects in schools and sports communities.
Elena Daly, Kevin Daly’s wife, highlighted the courage of these students:
“Being a significant part of a loved one’s ALS journey takes courage, resilience, compassion, and a lot of love… The Kevin Daly Bursary is a meaningful way to honour that.”
Through their academic ambitions in healthcare, education, science, finance, and community work, these students not only continue their personal journeys but also carry forward Kevin Daly’s legacy of resilience, advocacy, and hope for a future free of ALS.
