family of börje salming expressed frustration with swedish health-care system before hockey legend's passing

sweden-based salming had travelled to canada for treatment, but his medication was not approved for use in his home country.

by karen hawthorne and emma jones

published nov 25, 2022

last updated feb 16, 2023

3 minute read

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3 minute read

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why did börje salming, maple leafs, pass away so quickly from als?

toronto maple leafs' legend borje salming has revealed his als diagnosis. (cp picture archive/staff)

börje salming, hall of fame defenceman for the toronto maple leafs, has passed away from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (als). he was 71.

salming shared news of his diagnosis earlier this year, saying everything changed “in an instant” with the diagnosis. he had been receiving treatment in native sweden.

“börje was a pioneer of the game and an icon with an unbreakable spirit and unquestioned toughness,” brendan shanahan, president and alternate governor of the toronto maple leafs, said in a statement. “he helped open the door for europeans in the nhl and defined himself through his play on the ice and through his contributions to the community.

“börje joined the maple leafs 50 years ago and will forever be a part of our hockey family. we extend our deepest condolences to his wife, pia, his children theresa, anders, rasmus, bianca, lisa and sara, and brother stieg.”

salming revealed he has als to the hockey community in august after being diagnosed in july of this year. according to an interview with swedish newspaper expressen, salming first noticed symptoms — an unusual muscle twitch — in february 2022. he had to drop out of an alum game in march.

salming had previously travelled to canada for treatment, where his als specialist prescribed albrioza, a drug which may have slowed the progression of the disease by a few months. however, the medication was not approved for use in sweden and could not cross the border, according to yahoo sports canada.

his family expressed their frustration with the swedish health-care system, citing lack of access to this medication and restricted access to home care.

“i called there, to (customs) and he is standing and holding the package, physically holding the package,” teresa salming told expressen (translation via toronto star). “and i say, ‘you’re holding something that can make my dad live longer and i can’t have it.’”

“the king” swedish defenceman played 16 seasons with the toronto maple leafs from 1973 to 1989, and spent his last season with the detroit red wings. he was inducted into the hockey hall of fame in 1996. as sportsnet reports, in salming’s 1,148 career games, he had 150 goals and 637 assists for 787 points. he and inge hammarstrom were among the first swedes to play in the nhl, leading the way for numerous european players who followed.

the debilitating paralysis of als

als, also referred to as lou gehrig’s disease, is a progressive and fatal disease that damages the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord over time, so the neurons responsible for movements such as walking and talking no longer function as they should, according to the als society of canada.

since the brain is no longer able to communicate with the muscles of the body, they become weak, with a loss of muscle control, followed by respiratory failure and, eventually, death. it’s a complex disease that also affects cognitive functions and personality.

there are few answers when it comes to why a person develops als, but earlier diagnosis can help slow the progression.

“while some patients have a family history of als and we can identify the causative gene, in most cases there is no family history and we don’t understand why it occurs,” dr. lorne zinman, director of the als and neuromuscular clinic at sunnybrook health sciences centre in toronto, told healthing in a july interview.

symptoms of als

the early signs and symptoms of als vary from person to person, possibly because different neurons are affected in each case. according to the mayo clinic, als may start with muscle cramps or twitches, muscle weakness or stiffness in a limb, difficulty chewing or swallowing, or slurred speech. the localized muscle weakness spreads to other parts of the body over time. als is not contagious.

treatments to manage the physical and emotional toll

there is no cure for als, but there are medications, along with heat therapy for muscle cramping, braces and splints for mobility, and therapy to help maintain verbal communication skills.

“most patients die within three to five years from the first symptom,” says zinman. “it’s one of the worst diseases on the planet. and unfortunately, while we have some treatment options that can slow down the progression of the disease, we still don’t have a cure.”