Princess Ariane swims for ALS

Princess Ariane of the Netherlands has swum in the Amsterdam canals to raise awareness and money for ALS.

The event took place on Saturday, 7 September, and Ariane had her family cheering her on throughout the swim.

The King and Queen were on hand to cheer their youngest child on, with Queen Máxima yelling, “Come on, Ariane!”

After completing the route, Princess Ariane was greeted by her parents, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima.

Her dedication raised over €2,000 for ALS (or MND in the UK), according to Dutch reporter Rick Evers, who attended the event and recorded the video below.

The Princess follows in her mother’s footsteps, who swam in the same murky canals in September 2012.

A full list of those helping in the fight against ALS can be found here.

The Mayo Clinic describes ALS this way: “ALS often begins with muscle twitching and weakness in an arm or leg, trouble swallowing or slurred speech. Eventually, ALS affects control of the muscles needed to move, speak, eat and breathe. There is no cure for this fatal disease.”

Symptoms vary from person to person, with most developing issues in their extremities. However, in its most progressive state, the illness begins where it ends – in the mouth, throat and lungs.

You can learn more about ALS from the Mayo Clinic here.