Join the MS Community and Raise Awareness for MS this May

MS Society invites Canadians to participate in nationwide MS Awareness Month activities

TORONTO, May 02, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — For the month of May, the Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society of Canada will recognize Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Month through a variety of activities and events. There is an $8 million fundraising goal for the month, allowing the MS Society to continue funding critical MS research and providing programs that enhance the quality of life for those impacted by MS.

Together, Canadians will be rallying across the country to raise awareness of what it means to live with or support someone living with MS. Participants are currently registering for the annual MS Walk, advocacy efforts are underway to effect systemic change within government legislation, and volunteers from coast to coast are inspiring action in their communities.

“I want to begin this year’s MS Awareness Month by thanking all those who go above and beyond in supporting and championing for the MS community. I also acknowledge that it’s impossible to quantify the impact of the support that we have received from Canadians, especially from the community, staff, and donors during the past two years,” said Pam Valentine, President & CEO, MS Society of Canada. “Recent breakthroughs in research also gives us hope, and now more than ever we are confident that we stand on the precipice of new discoveries. Today, it’s more important than ever to stand together and take action to help build a better tomorrow and a world free of MS.”

The MS Society invites Canadians to recognize MS Awareness Month by:

• Participating in a Virtual Carnation Pinning event on social media – May 4.
• Visiting any Mr. Lube location for Mr. Lube MS Weekend, where $2 from every oil change will be donated to the MS Society – May 6 to 8.
• Watching and donating to KingSett Capital employees and MS community members as they take the leap for MS through the MS Million Dollar Tower Challenge (Toronto) – May 9 to 11.
• Joining and fundraising for the annual MS Walk virtually or in-person – May 29 or throughout the month of May.
• Registering for the May 50k virtual challenge to leave MS where it belongs: behind us
• Watching community leaders light up monuments and issue proclamations of support for the MS community on World MS Day – May 30.
• Organizing their own fundraiser for the MS Society through the We Challenge MS platform
• Signing MS Society petitions and open letters asking governments to #TakeActionforMS.

Additionally, from May 2 to 4, MS Society representatives will meet virtually with over 60 parliamentarians for the annual Day on the Hill advocacy event to engage the federal government on key priorities important to the MS community. These include prioritizing MS research, investing in MS care and housing, investing in employment and income security, and ensuring that access to MS treatment is a reality for the more than 90,000 Canadians who live with MS.

To keep up with MS Society events and activities during MS Awareness Month and to #TakeActionForMS, visit https://mssociety.ca/ms-awareness-month

About multiple sclerosis and the MS Society of Canada

Canada has one of the highest rates of multiple sclerosis (MS) in the world. On average, 12 Canadians are diagnosed every day. MS is a chronic autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (brain, spinal cord). It is considered an episodic disability meaning that the severity and duration of illness and disability can vary and are often followed by periods of wellness. It can also be progressive. Most people are diagnosed with MS between the ages of 20 and 49 and the unpredictable effects of the disease will last for the rest of their lives. The MS Society provides information, support and advocacy to people affected by MS, and funds research to find the cause and cure for the disease, bringing us closer to a world free of MS. Please visit mssociety.ca or call 1-800-268-7582 for more information, to get involved, or to support Canadians affected by MS by making a donation. 
   
Join the conversation and connect with the MS community online. Find the MS Society on Twitter, Instagram or like our page on Facebook.

CONTACTS:

Nick Williams – NATIONAL Public Relations (Ontario)
Manager, Healthcare
nwilliams@national.ca
1 647-354-2478

Justin Meloche – Le Cabinet de relations publiques NATIONAL (Québec)
Directeur, Relations médias
jmeloche@national.ca
1 514-995-9704

Leah Thomson – NATIONAL Public Relations (Western Canada)
Associate
lthomson@national.ca
1 403-689-5324

Carter Hutton – NATIONAL Public Relations (Atlantic Canada)
Associate
chutton@national.ca
1 902-817-2885

Marie-Ève Simard – Société Canadienne de la SP, Division du Québec
Directrice du Marketing et des Communications
marie-eve.simard@scleroseenplaques.ca
1 514-225-9587

Sarah Greening – MS Society of Canada
Coordinator, Communications and Media Relations
sarah.greening@mssociety.ca
1 782-800-9894