Philips Prague swims for ALS

Sep 20, 2019

By the Philips Foundation team

Supported by the Philips Foundation, a dedicated team from the Czech Republic put their minds and hands to work and used their expertise to help organize, and participate in the Prague City Swim; a swimming competition carried out by several ALS organizations in the world to raise awareness.

The event took place at the beginning of September, where funds were raised for global research and personal care for ALS patients in the Czech Republic. A historic day, as it was the first Prague City Swim organized by ALSA, an association helping patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in the Czech Republic.

September 7, 2019

Although a cold and drizzling day, hundreds of people showed up and participated in the Prague City Swim. Around 120 of them jumped into the Vltava River, the longest river within the Czech Republic, and swam or paddled around the Střelecký Island.

21 Philips employees who helped organize the race were among the daring people who took up the challenge. Four patients with ALS lying on paddleboards, led by teams of swimmers, also welcomed the challenge and immersed into the river.

The Philips team accompanied Vladimír Mikuláš – a former physiotherapist of the Czech national football team who was diagnosed with ALS three years ago – in the patient race of 200 meters and even led Vladimír to win the race.

„It was not me who won today. It was all of us here at Střelecký Island and my Philips team who won. I love Philips for what they do for us, and I am looking forward to going to their Christmas party", said Vladimír, who visited our Christmas party last year when Philips Czech Republic donated a car to ALSA so that their mobile team can visit patients at home.

A similar race exists in Amsterdam, which had its 9th edition this year. „One day we hope to meet here on the Vltava River, and we can as well say that it's the twentieth edition of the Prague city swim, in which the entire city of Prague and many other people will visit and support people with ALS." Eva Baborová, the director of ALSA, wished.

Community center

ALSA has been helping patients in the Czech Republic for many years. Their mobile team of speech therapists, physiotherapists, psychologists, and nurses visit patients at home. With the help of the Philips Foundation and dedication of the Philips Czech team, the organization will open a community center in Prague to inform doctors and nurses about how they can improve the lives of ALS patients – as this is unfortunately still relatively unknown in the broader medical community.

„I am extremely proud of our Prague team for their long term active engagement in helping ALSA, " said Tomaž Justin, the Leader of Philips Health Systems in CEE Central district.

Read more about ALS, how it affects people's lives, and the Prague City Swim in our official press release (only in Czech).