We Do It For Lou

This year, I'll be attempting to become an Iron Phi - a distinction given to a small percentage of members within my Fraternity. The mission of Iron Phi is to strengthen the Phi Delta Theta International Fraternity and the impact it has on the fight against Lou Gehrig's disease through the fundraising and athletic efforts of its members. Lou Gehrig was a member of Phi Delta Theta, and our organization has taken an active role in finding a cure.

The net proceeds will support ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) research, education, screening, and treatment. It will also help strengthen an organization (Phi Delta Theta) that has had a lasting impact on my life.

My goal is to complete an 8-month-long challenge of running 1000km throughout the academic year. I believe living life to the fullest means improving oneself and finding ways to provide value to others. Ever since joining Phi Delta Theta, I have been so inspired by the countless amazing people I have been able to meet and the philanthropy that we do. One of my favourite lessons came from our very own late brother Lou Gehrig, who taught us to live every day with gratitude and to leave the world a better place than we found it. Despite the fatal diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Lou Gehrig continued to live his life with courage, determination, and gratitude. It is with this in mind that the Live Like Lou Foundation was established.

Being from a small Canadian chapter, COVID-19 had a lasting impact which resulted in losses in financial freedom, recruitment numbers, and operational competence whilst facing many restrictive hurdles. However, we continued to persevere as the longest-standing fraternity in our area with our philanthropy efforts serving as a major motivator bringing us together and to remind us just how proud we were of being PhiDelts. Through my Iron Phi challenge, I hope to demonstrate that doing good for others, leaving ALS better than we found it, and transmitting a community greater than it was to us, all go hand in hand. They are not easy tasks that can be accomplished simply through a brief period of passion, much like anything worth it in life, and require consistent and time-tested growth. I intend on completing this 8-month-long challenge of running 1000km as it will instill in me a lasting habit of healthy living whilst permitting me the time and freedom to involve the community around me in personifying the spirit of gratitude. Throughout the 2023-2024 school year, as the President of both the Ontario Gamma chapter of Phi Delta Theta and my school’s ALS Society, I plan to host multiple events and an online conference to support families and bring awareness to ALS research. I will be sharing my progress and updates regarding events, as well as engaging with supporters through my fitness Instagram account @iron.will4ever and I truly hope you may be a part of my journey.

~5,600 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with ALS each year. It is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Motor neurons reach from the brain to the spinal cord and from the spinal cord to the muscles throughout the body. The progressive degeneration of the motor neurons in ALS eventually leads to their death. That's why I'm becoming an Iron Phi. To do something bold about Lou Gehrig's disease.

I've set my personal goal at $1848, but with your help, I am certain we will crush this goal! If this sounds like a cause you believe in, please consider making a donation of any amount you wish! You can make a donation on this page by clicking on the "Make a Gift" link below the thermometer. If you prefer, you can also send a check made out to Iron Phi by emailing me prior at: cwl.v.chen2002@gmail.com.
I hope that you'll share this incredible adventure with me - by supporting me in my fundraising efforts.

Thank you in advance for your generosity!

Sincerely,
William Chen