PHOTO: Bildbyrån
Hockey legend Börje Salming is suffering from the nerve disease ALS.
Now friend Nicklas Lidström will help the 71-year-old.
– I really suffer both with Börje and the family, says “Lidas” to SportExpressen.
It was last summer Börje Salming concluded that he had suffered from the serious nerve disease ALS. After that, the hockey icon and his family have had to struggle in silence, but in the days it became known that the condition has drastically worsened.
Salming’s struggle
Börje and wife Pia Salming announced in an interview with SportExpress that the 71-year-old can no longer speak and his only words to the Swedish people were: “I’m thinking of you”. In connection with the fight against the disease, Börje Salming’s ALS Foundation has also been founded to promote research into the nerve disease for which there is no cure.
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Former NHL star and friend Nicklas Lidström will now help as much as he can and sits on the board of the foundation.
– I received a request about a month ago if I wanted to sit on the board and be involved, and I felt that was a matter of course. I am honored to be able to help Börje in some way and to help with this collection that we are going to do to stop this terrible disease, says “Lidas” to the evening newspaper.
READ MORE: Stig Salming’s first words about his brother Börje – opening up about the strong images: “Unbearable.. so tragic”
Lida’s mission
Lidström’s mission will be to collect money for research into ALS and the foundation will also be a support for relatives in their vulnerable situations. The former Detroit Red Wings captain says that he has just spoken with Börje and Pia Salming and it was an emotional conversation.
– I actually spoke to Börje and Pia on Facetime today. It is emotionally difficult to see Börje in such a situation and you suffer with Pia as well, who has to carry a big load, and with the rest of the family as well. So it was very emotional to talk to them today.
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This week, Nicklas Lidström will also meet the Salming couple to lay out a strategy for the foundation’s continued work and approach. Lidas takes its mission very seriously and sees the foundation’s role as extremely important in raising awareness of ALS, which affects so many people.
– I think it is very important to address the situation that arises when a relative gets ALS. It doesn’t just affect that person, it’s the whole family that gets affected. So I think it was very strong of the family to come out and tell us how things are. In the video, you really get to see how Börje really feels and is, and Pia too. So I think it was a very strong decision to do so, he says in the interview.
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