The 71-year-old defenseman opened up about his Lou Gehrig’s disease diagnosis through a statement by the NHL club.
Borje Salming is in for the fight of his life.
The Hall-of-Fame defenseman disclosed through a team statement that he has been diagnosed with ALS.
“The signs that indicated that something was wrong in my body turned out to be the disease ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. In an instant, everything changed. I do not know how the days ahead will be, but I understand that there will be challenges greater than anything I have ever faced. I also recognize that there is no cure but there are numerous worldwide trials going on and there will be a cure one day. In the meantime, there are treatments available to slow the progression and my family and I will remain positive.
“Since I started playing ice hockey as a little kid in Kiruna, and throughout my career, I have given it my all. And I will continue to do so.
“Right now, I rest assured that I have my loving family around me and the best possible medical care.
Salming is receiving care from Dr. Caroline Ingre who is chief physician within the Neurology Department at the Karolinska University Hospital and has managed their Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) clinic since 2014.
“In recent decades, we have learned much more about the cause of ALS, and it has been shown that ALS is not a single disease. Instead, ALS is probably a collection of subgroups that all lead to the same symptom picture.”
"ALS is a devastating disease that not only affects the muscles but can also affect personality and cognitive functions. The people affected by this disease experience a progressive muscle weakness. In about 70 percent of diagnoses, the disease starts with symptoms from the spinal cord, which increasingly weakens the patient’s arms and legs, while in about 30 percent it starts around the mouth and throat, leading to slurred speech and difficulties swallowing. These patients also often have an associated emotional impact that manifests itself as uncontrollable laughter or crying. With most ALS patients, breathing is affected with symptoms most often appearing first at night, while other typical signs are morning headache, daytime sleepiness, and shortness of breath during the day or when lying flat on the back. Therefore, patients are also treated at a respiratory clinic and, when breathing becomes affected, offered support administered through a face mask (non-invasive ventilation).”
Salming spent 16 of his 17 NHL seasons with the Maple Leafs and known for bein g a trailblazer for being among the first European players to come over to the NHL and make a significant impact. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1996.
In 2014, the Maple Leafs added Salming to Legends Row. A statue of him was placed alongside other star alumni outside of Scotiabank Arena.
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