Enhanced Online Fundraising System for MS Walk

Check out the enhanced online fundraising system at http://www.mswalks.ca! Now making it even easier to be a part of the 2012 MS Walk in your community, you are just clicks away from registering, creating your personal page and getting a head start on fundraising.  New features include the ability to create your own personal fundraising page, post a photo or video, monitor and share your fundraising progress and much more. Lace up for someone you love, for people in your community who have MS and for the three Canadians diagnosed with this illness every day. Together, we will end MS.

Walk to lower your risk of stroke

Walking not only improves your overall health, but greatly reduces the risk of stroke – especially in women. These findings are based on a study examining the exercise behaviors of more than 39,000 female health professionals, with an average age of 54. The results indicate that women who walked at a pace of 3 miles per hour had a 37% lower risk of suffering from a stroke, and women who engaged in walking 2 or more hours a week had a 30% reduced risk of suffering from a stroke.

Jacob R. Sattelmair, MSc, Harvard School of Public Health states: “Physical activity, including regular walking, is an important modifiable behavior for stroke prevention and is essential to promoting cardiovascular health and reducing risk of cardiovascular disease, and walking is one way of achieving physical activity.”

For more information on this study visit Web MD: http://bit.ly/ceL87K

 

Walking Linked to Improved Memory

Lacing up not only improves your overall health, it has now been associated with decreasing the risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. In the October 13, 2010 online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, it was announced that walking regularly may shield mature brains from decreasing in size, subsequently preserving one’s memory. Study author Kirk Erickson, PhD at the University of Pittsburgh states: “Brain size shrinks in late adulthood, which can cause memory problems. Our results should encourage well-designed trials of physical exercise in older adults as a promising approach for preventing dementia and Alzheimer's disease.”

Find out more about walking and the prevention of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease at: http://www.naturalnews.com/walking.html

Dog Walking

Dogs are great walking buddies. They are very persistent and can even act as your own personal trainer. If you start walking with your dog, or a friend or family member’s dog, you will find that they are always ready for a walk when you are, always extend the walk as long and as far as possible and rarely talk back. Dogs provide great motivation to get up and go for a walk, multiple times a day!

Cindy Lentino, an exercise scientist at the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services in Washington, conducted a study of the health of 916 middle-aged adults under three categories: 1) those who owned dogs and walked them frequently; 2) those who owned dogs and didn’t walk them and; 3) those who did not own dogs.

Lentino discovered benefits of dog walking to include lower risk of high blood pressure, a leaner waistline and less chronic health conditions and concluded that regular dog walkers had a lower BMI and fewer depressive conditions compared to those who didn’t walk with a dog. Lentino states, “The big one is that people who did not own dogs had over three times the odds of being treated for diabetes than those who walked their dogs”!

 

To find out more information about this study visit: http://bit.ly/bb72DS

Walking Barefoot

It has become more common to see runner’s barefoot or wearing lightweight hi-tech shoes. There has been some interesting speculation around if it is better for your feet to be shoeless or wearing ultra-lightweight shoes when walking or running.

A study conducted by researchers at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa discovered that before the invention of shoes, individuals had much healthier feet. The study compared the feet of 180 modern humans from three population groups (Sotho, European, Zulu) to 2, 000-year-old-skeletons. The findings concluded that the Zulu populations, who are frequently barefoot, have the healthiest feet, while shoe wearing Europeans had less healthy feet.

The interesting investigation is in motion regarding whether or not humans really need elaborate cushioned walking/running shoes, when those before us had managed for centuries without.

For more information on walking barefoot take a look at these articles: “Benefits of Barefoot”, and “You Walk Wrong”

Are you exercising enough?

All adults need some form of endurance exercise to increase their heart rate for at least ten minutes at a time, to keep healthy. A brisk walk can be a simple and enjoyable moderate exercise to add to your routine.

Moderate endurance exercise should be incorporated into your daily routine for a total of 30 minutes, and be repeated five days a week. To incorporate a 30 minute moderate aerobic exercise in to your busy schedule, why not take three 10-minute brisk walks throughout the day.

Additional moderate endurance exercises: swimming, dancing, light jogging

 
Visit the National Institute on Aging for more information on moderate endurance activities.

Mall Walking

For those of you who would rather not walk outside during the winter season, and are looking for an alternative to walking on a treadmill, then “Mall Walking” might be the right thing for you. Mall walking is exactly what it sounds like: people actively walking in the corridors of shopping malls. It is common for many malls to open there doors early for individuals interested in walking the mall before shoppers arrive. Malls provide a comfortable climate and a safe place to walk, not to mention easy access to the washroom! Mall walking can be done individually or done in groups, which can offer motivation to keep you walking. Contact your local mall to see if they open their doors early.

For more information on Mall walking visit Discovery Fit and Health

Accessorize

You really don’t need any walking gear to get started, but as you get into to your walking routine you may be interested in specialized accessories.


A few items to consider:

Heart Rate Monitor- Used to measure the exertion being put forth. Wireless heart rate monitors are best because they provide an accurate read and are easy to wear.

Pedometer- A device that counts steps and mileage. Pedometers can also be adjusted to measure stride length. New GPS systems can also calculate speed and distance based on satellite readings.

Personal Stereo- An MP3 player can be a great walking companion and also increase motivation and endurance during a walk. It can also be a good distraction when approaching the last few miles.

Fitness Log- It is helpful to keep a fitness log or diary to record and keep track of your activities. It can also help you stay on top of your goals and help you achieve them by updating your log regularly.

Check out The Walking Site to find out more helpful hints about walking accessories.

The Importance of Hydration

We are all familiar with the phrase “drink 8 glasses of water a day,” which, many of us can admit, we do not always follow. We do however need to make sure we are keeping our water consumption level up when we are physically active. Staying adequately hydrated while walking or hiking is crucial and is as essential as wearing the right shoes!


An average individual should drink about 62 ounces of water a day, but when being active, such as walking or hiking, you need to consume more. Factors that can attribute to the amount of water you should be drinking include the outside temperature, distance of walk and humidity level. You should also consider drinking water before your walk or hike, that way you won’t be dehydrated before you set out. Drinking a lot of water at one point throughout your walk won’t help a considerable amount; the right idea is to drink water periodically throughout your walk to maintain a steady level of hydration.

 
 
For more info on the importance of hydration visit:
http://gettingoutsideagain.com/hydration-while-hiking/

Terrific Trails

Instead of walking the same loop around your neighborhood, why not enjoy a change of scenery by trekking one of Ontario’s picturesque trails? You can easily change your surroundings by finding a trail near you… and what a great time of year to get outside and experience the changing of the leaves this fall. Lace up your shoes and conquer a new trail!

Visit the Ontario Trails Council website for a complete list of trails.

You can also vote for your favourite Ontario trail through our poll on Facebook.

Don’t let the cooler weather slow your step

The winter months are fast approaching, which unfortunately means that cold weather is just around the corner. Keeping active might fall to the wayside due to the change in weather, but that doesn’t mean you can’t optimize on the activities you perform on a regular basis. Speeding up your stride allows for improved use of energy supplies, muscle conditioning and body shape.

Walking at a faster pace is most commonly referred to as speed walking, but other terms such as aerobic walking and power walking are also known to be used. If you want to pick up the pace without transitioning to jogging or running, these simple additions to your daily routine can help you burn more calories and enhance the benefits you obtain from traditional walking.

1. Maintain good posture - keeping your spine extended by standing up straight


2. Keep your head up - head level should be as if your chin was resting on a desk

3. Swing your arms - let your arms swing comfortably, but keep your elbows at a 90 degree angle

For more information on the proper techniques of speed walking, visit Jo Ann Taylor’s website.

Walking 30 minutes a day helps keep the doctor away

What’s a simple activity to do to stay healthy? You guessed it, walking.

As simple as it sounds, you can benefit greatly from taking a leisurely walk once a day.

If you’re not feeling as upbeat as you would like, take a walk, on your own or with a family member or friend, or start a walking group in your neighborhood. How about changing your indoor book club meeting to a discussion on foot!

Walking is a simple way to achieve and maintain your health, and it also benefits you in the following ways:

• Reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety

• Lowers blood pressure
• Increases cardiovascular endurance

• Maintains lean muscle

Why not get a head start in preparing for the 2012 MS Walk today!

For more information on the benefits of walking check out articles by Ed Forteau

Happy Labour Day Weekend!

Labour Day weekend has been celebrated on the first Monday in September since the 1880s. What started as a parade in support of the Toronto Typographical Union's strike for a 58-hour work-week has over the years become an opportunity to take a late summer trip to a country cottage or to enjoy the company of family at a picnic, fair or festival. Unfortunately it is also the unofficial end to the Canadian summer, so we encourage you to get out there and enjoy the warm weather while it lasts.


We here at the MS Society of Canada want to wish everyone an amazing, safe and fun long weekend!

A&W Cruisin' for a Cause

Thursday August, 25 will mark the third annual A&W Cruisin’ for a Cause Day!  One dollar from each Teen Burger sold, will be donated to support the MS Society of Canada’s mission to help end multiple sclerosis.

If you RSVP to the event on Facebook, A&W will donate an additional 50 cents.  Additionally, they will also donate another 50 cents if you tweet using #CruisinForACause on Twitter.

New to this year’s event is the option of donating five dollars to the MS Society by texting MS to 45678 from your mobile phone!

So please show your support by participating in Cruisin’ for a Cause in any or all of the easy ways listed above! Find the closest A&W location near you!

The World’s Best Walks!

One of the best ways to see the sights while on vacation is to walk – that or taking a jet-pack, but until we can use those, walking it is! The pace of a walk is perfect if you want to ensure you don’t miss anything on your adventure. While walking, it is easy to converse with your fellow travellers about the route, or to yourself if you want to be left alone and in peace. Without further ado, here are 5 of the world’s best walks:

1. The Great Wall of China: Built between 220-206 BC the wall stretches for 8,851.8 km, so this walk is not for the faint of heart. While walking, take in the breathtaking scenery and learn about the history of the most famous wall in the world. Even though it is a myth, we still like to believe that the next time we are in space we will be able to see the Great Wall.
2. Abbey Road: London, England has many amazing walks to offer, including the Jack the Ripper walking tour, the Tower of London walk and Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre walk. However, Abbey Road is a definite favourite. How can you compete with Abbey Road? Make sure to take a pic of you as John, Paul, George or Ringo and send it to us to post on our Flickr page!
3. Capilano Suspension Bridge: The bridge, crossing the Capilano River north of Vancouver, is 136 metres long and 70 metres above the river. It was originally built in 1889, but don’t worry, there have been some improvements since then. If you do want to walk the bridge, you’d better get there early as there are over 800,000 visitors a year - that’s over 2,100 a day!
4. CN Tower Glass Floor: Head to the CN Tower in Toronto, hold your breath, and have a walk on their glass floor. It’s no big deal; you’ll only be looking 1,122 feet straight down. The floor is only 256 square feet, so you won’t get your exercise circling the area, you’ll get it by climbing up the 11,776 stairs it takes to get there.
5. MS Walk: It involves over 60,000 participants and volunteers in more than 160 beautiful communities across Canada. Each walk has its own unique quality that makes it special. Why not try to walk in all of them? It might be a tall order seeing as not everyone lives until 160 years old, but you could try to experience a different location each year. Plus, you’ll be walking to help end Multiple Sclerosis!

Nothing allows you to soak in your surroundings like a nice walk. Why not send us your list of favourite places to walk, or the best walks you’ve ever had? Email them to greg.johnson@mssociety.ca or post them on our Facebook wall.

Calorie Burning Comparison

Everyone knows that walking is beneficial to your health. But a lot of people are skeptical about its actual weight loss and calorie burning capabilities. That is why we have put together an informative chart for you so that you can compare walking with other activities. Enjoy!

Information found at; http://bit.ly/q19bs2

60 minutes of:	Is equal to burning:	Or the same as:
Bird Watching	178 calories	40 minutes of walking
Hanging Storm Windows	340 calories	75 minutes of walking
Flying an Airplane	142 calories	30 minutes of walking
Hugging	71 calories	16 minutes of walking
Laying Tile	306 calories	68 minutes of walking
Automotive Repair	214 calories	47 minutes of walking

The next time you’re out enjoying the nice weather with a walk in the park, remember, if you walk for 30 minutes, that’s the same as flying an airplane from Timmins to Windsor! 

The History of Walking

Geoff Nicholson, in his book ‘The Art of Walking’ wrote;

“Looked in a certain way, walking is the most ordinary, natural, ubiquitous activity. What could be more commonplace or lacking in eccentricity than the act of walking?”

Here are some important “walking” dates throughout history:

• 4 million years BC or thereabouts: Australopithecus afarensis begins the fad of two-legged walking, the defining trait of family Hominidae. Two-legged walking frees up the hands to use for making tools, tying shoes, etc.

• 8,000 to 10,000: North American natives make and wear sandals.

• 1589: Sir Robert Carey walks 300 miles from London to Berwick on a wager.

• 1864: Black Forest Wanderverien is founded, which is now the world’s oldest walking club.

• 1969: Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walk on the moon. Makes you feel bad for Michael Collins; he didn’t get out to stretch his legs.

• 1991: The first MS Walk in Canada.

• 2011: We commemorate 20 years of the MS Walk!
• Excerpt from about.com.; http://bit.ly/qBFQvb

Keep those feet moving, and your name might headline the next chapter in the great book of walking!

Race Walking!

What activity started in 1880, has been an Olympic sport since 1904 and is governed by rules known as ‘Straight Leg Rule’ and ‘Loss of Contact’?

Race walking of course! It’s a long-distance foot race in which the athletes must walk and not run. There are basically two rules of race walking: firstly the back toe of the athlete cannot leave the ground until the heel of the front foot has touched the ground, secondly the supporting leg must straighten from the point of contact with the ground and remain straightened until the body passes directly over it. It’s not as simple as it sounds, and race walkers have to keep up rigorous training schedules, just as runners do.  

Although the sport originated in England it has been dominated by Russians. The world record for the Women’s 20km walk is 1:24:50 by Olimpiada Ivanova and the Men’s world record is held by Sergey Morozov, with a time of 1:26:46, they are both from Russia.  

Here is a YouTube clip of what it’s all about: http://bit.ly/n04wq2

Try it yourself; see if you have the Race Walking bug, we’ll make sure to look for you at the 2012 London Olympics!

What's Your Story?

We want to hear from you! Now that the MS Walks are over, we want to hear about your experience. How and why are you involved? How many years have you been walking? What is your favourite part of the MS Walks? Write us a funny story, a happy story, an inspirational story, and we will share it with our readers here on the MS Walk blog. Include a picture too to spice things up.  We can’t wait to hear your story!

E-mail your stories to greg.johnson@mssociety.ca and check back regularly to see if yours is posted. 

Etobicoke MS Walk A Success!

The 15^th annual Etobicoke MS Walk was another great success this year! 619 walkers braved the cold, rain & snow to raise $151,164 to end MS.

Walkers were cheered on by Toronto Argonauts Cheerleaders and Argonauts Jeff Johnson and Chad Remple. The Toronto Firefighters’ Association brought a fire truck for the kids to play on and had it mark the start of the 5km and 10km routes with a big HONK of the horn.

After 12 years as Chair of the Etobicoke MS Walk, Nadine Bertola will be retiring from the committee. Her passionate leadership has transformed the Etobicoke MS Walk into the incredible event it is today. Her contributions include sourcing great prizes and gift bags full of goodies as well as implementing the Kick-Off Event at Plant World and Celebrity Server Night at Kelsey’s. Nadine has worked tirelessly to ensure all who attend have a great time. Thank you Nadine for your dedication and passion. You will be greatly missed.  The MS Society wishes you the best of luck on your next adventure. 

If you are interested in joining the 2012 Etobicoke MS Walk Committee or for more information, please contact laura.franklin@mssociety.ca.

Pictured above: Honourary Chair Jeff Johnson and Outgoing Committee Chair Nadine Bertola

Reel and Deal!

The fourth annual Reel and Deal event to benefit the MS Society takes place this Thursday, July 7, in Port Perry. Pro fisherman, generous sponsors, and guests get together to raise money to end MS. It will be an action packed day of fun for the whole family! There will be fishing, great food, poker, and all for a great cause!  Last year’s event raised $65,000 to support MS Research and Client Services in the Markham/Stouffvile, York North, and York South Chapters.

Date: Thursday, July 7, 2011

Location: Lake Scugog, Goreski’s Landing

225 Platten Boulevard, Port Perry

Registration: 7:00 am to 8:00 am

Start & End Times: 8:00 am to 6:30 pm

You can get in the spirit by watching highlights from the previous Reel and Deal events through the MS Society of Canada YouTube Channel.


To take part in this year's event, please contact Freya Potter, Senior Coordinator, Fundraising and Volunteer Management at 1-800-268-7582 ext. 3157 or freya.potter@mssociety.ca.

Canada Day!

July 1^st marks Canada’s 144^th birthday. This is a day where we as Canadians celebrate how fortunate we are to be able to live in such an amazing country. Canada Day is also a time of reflection where we celebrate the history, the growth, and the accomplishments of our country. The MS Society would like to wish all our members, volunteers, sponsors and partners a happy Canada Day! On this day we would also ask you to take a moment with us and think about the thousands of Canadian families living with multiple sclerosis and to help us give thanks to all of our supporters for their help and contributions in the fight to end MS.

This holiday, don’t be bashful and reserved; make sure to wear your red and white proudly and join Canadians across the country as we celebrate this important day! Have a great weekend!

Keep Walking!

We had an amazing MS Walk season, and although we’re sad to see it over, we can’t wait till next year!  We would like to thank you once again for all the support and effort you put into helping raise an amazing $5.3 million!

But why stop walking now?  There is no doubt walking provides health benefits including reducing the risk of morbidity and mortality from chronic diseases such as heart disease and high blood pressure.  Also, regular walking has also been associated with improved mental health, including reduced anxiety, tension and depression and improved self-esteem.

Start off with little changes in your daily routine, something as simple as trying the stairs instead of the escalator or elevator in public settings.  After that you can start to increase your walking frequency by walking to your grocery store, or picking up your children from school on foot.  Walking to and from a restaurant for dinner is a great idea, not only do you support your local businesses but you can enjoy a nice glass of pinot noir with your meal.

So don’t just stand still this summer, get out there and walk around, it is free after all!

2011 Belleville Walk

On Sunday, May 29^th the Belleville community gathered together on a warm sunny day at Moira Secondary School in support of the 2011 Belleville MS Walk. The event was a great success with 281 eager participants raising over $52,000! Participants enjoyed a scenic 5km or 10km route, some wonderful live entertainment and a delicious breakfast and lunch provided by Tim Hortons and Marc’s No Frills.

The 2011 Belleville MS Walk Volunteer Organizing Committee would like to congratulate and thank Deborah Best on another fantastic year of fundraising.  Deborah raised over $12,000 for the 2011 Belleville MS Walk, since 2002 she has raised over $53,500! The money raised is used to provide support locally as well as research at the national level. Deborah’s hard work and dedication is really inspirational, she is truly making a difference in the movement to end MS.

                                                                                           

Deborah Best

We would also like to thank all of the hard working volunteers who dedicate their time to the Belleville MS Walk. Without them, the event would not happen, whether they are a returning volunteer or a new one, they are the people who make the MS Walk a success every year.  Thank You!  

Volunteer at the RONA MS Bike Tours!

Volunteers provide riders with refreshments
 at the 2010 Acton to Waterloo Tour.

Just because the MS Walks are over for 2011, it doesn’t mean there aren’t still plenty of opportunities to help support the MS Society.  Right now we are gearing up and getting ready for a great summer full of volunteer opportunities! We need YOUR help for the upcoming RONA MS Bike Tours. There are five bike tours throughout Ontario that need volunteers and support. There are many options for volunteer roles, ranging from registration for the cyclists, to cheering them on as they cross the finish line. We will match you with a position that complements your interests, skills, and availability. 

For more information about how you can volunteer at the RONA MS Bike Tours, please contact Nicole Dube at 416‑922‑6600 x3107 or nicole.dube@mssociety.ca.

Father's Day Gift Ideas

Still looking for gift ideas for your father?  Why not get him something that will help him be better suited for when he walks. Walking is very beneficial to your health and well-being and having the right gear goes a long way in making sure your dad is comfortable when he is exercising.

•  How about taking him out for a walk? Walk in the park, or on a busy street, how about a walk to the ice cream store?

• Walking shoes. Who would have thought that they had specific shoes just for walking?  These can be extremely lightweight and very stylish, (for those dads that are interested in fashion!)

• Sunglasses. It’s always a good idea to protect your eyes from the sun! 

Happy father's day and thanks for your help in the fight to end MS!

14th Annual RBC/MS Gold Tournament a Success!

Friday’s Multiple Sclerosis Charity Golf tournament hosted by RBC Procurement was a huge success!  We would like to offer a sincere thank you to all the participating golfers and to Mother Nature for offering up sunny weather!

The tournament took place at two different courses in Markham - the Angus Glen Golf Club and Mandarin Golf and Country Club. 432 golfers raised over $400,000 for the MS Society.  Proceeds from the tournament will help fund vital research devoted to the study of multiple sclerosis in children.  Much of this research is led by Dr. Brenda Banwell, Director of the Paediatric MS Clinic at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. 

Thank you to all participating golfers, sponsors, and volunteers for your support. Photos from the event will be posted shortly, stay tuned!

MS Walk Photos!

You probably noticed that while you were having a great time walking, someone from the MS Society or a helpful volunteer was there with a camera snapping photos.  Visit us on Flickr and see if you or your team is in one of the photos!  Also, upload your photos to our Facebook page and share your story with everyone!  Take a gander at a couple of our early favourites:

While we haven’t received photos from all of the MS Walks across Ontario yet, keep looking at our Flickr page to see if you and your team are there!

Can’t wait to see your pictures!

Walk of Champions!

The MS Society of Canada, Ontario Division, is proud to announce that four of our participants joined the MS Walk of Champions which took place in Las Vegas this past April 9!  Adam Goldberg, Nancy Kastner, Nancy Lester, and Tracey Ostermann each fundraised over $10,000 for the MS Walk last year and were awarded the opportunity to participate in the 2011 MS Walk of Champions.  We would like to extend our congratulations to these four inspirational participants and thank them for being strong examples of what is possible when you put your heart into supporting people with multiple sclerosis. We’ll send more details about these four champions in future blog posts.

We’re hoping to congratulate even more Walkers who’ve reached the fundraising level of $10,000 and will have the chance to participate in the 2012 MS Walk of Champions which takes place in New York City.

Lots of Opportunities Left!

Now that you’ve made every step matter and helped us raise over $5.2 million, how do you continue to be a part of the movement to end MS while awaiting the 2012 MS Walk?

• Gear up for an exciting RONA MS Bike Tour

• Take your best shot during The 14th Annual Multiple Sclerosis Charity Golf Tournament, hosted by RBC Procurement.

•  Join Women Against MS (WAMS).

• Fundraise with Marathon Strides Against MS.

• Promote your children or student’s love of books and fundraise to end MS by participating in the MS Read-A-Thon!

• Let a young person with MS in your life know about the MS Society of Canada Summer Camp.

• Try your hand at the MS Climb.

The MS Society of Canada has many exciting events to keep you engaged in the movement to end MS.  Select one of the events above to learn more or  contact your local chapter for additional information.

Another Successful and Inspiring MS Walk! Thank You!

Yesterday, Walkers from the communities of Thunder Bay, Sudbury, North Bay, Kingston – Napanee, Brockville and Belleville made every step matter, fundraising an amazing $256,000 – driving the current total for all 2011 MS Walks to over $5.2 million!!!

We hope that you had an excellent MS Walk and that you feel proud of the tangible difference you have made in the lives of the tens of thousands of Canadians living with multiple sclerosis!

Keep in mind that you also have another few weeks to continue to fundraise and collect money before the pledge submission deadline on June 27, 2011.

We also invite you to share your favorite MS Walks photos, stories and videos on our Facebook page. We can’t wait to see them!

Keep up the great work fundraising and thanks again for playing a pivotal role in the movement to end MS. We look forward to seeing you again at the 2012 MS Walk!

Let's Walk!

This Sunday, May 29^th, the final MS Walks of 2011 in Ontario will be taking place in Thunder Bay, North Bay, Sudbury, Kingston-Napanee, Brockville and Belleville. We would like to thank you for all of your incredible support and for your dedication to ending MS!

With every step you take this Sunday, know and take pride in the fact that you’re making a difference. Your walk will make a meaningful impact in the lives of the tens of thousands of Canadians living with MS.

To date, the 2011 MS Walks have already raised more than $5.2 million!

We wish you a fantastic MS Walk day and the best of luck in bringing in those final pledges!

We look forward to seeing you on Sunday!

Is your community holding its MS Walk this weekend and you still haven’t registered? It’s not too late – Click here to register for your local MS Walk.

Need some last minute fundraising tips? Click here; http://bit.ly/f0uWBK

Today Is World MS Day!

Here in Canada, we have one of the highest rates of multiple sclerosis in the world. Approximately 55,000 to 75,000 Canadians are currently living with MS, with 1-3 new cases diagnosed every day. Worldwide, over 2,000,000 people in the world have MS. The aims of world MS day are to raise awareness and mobilize a global movement!

World MS Day was launched on May 27, 2009 with over 200 events in 67 countries. It’s an opportunity to raise awareness about MS and to strengthen the network of people living with MS across the world.

The theme this year is “Work and MS” with a focus on the role that employers can play in enabling people with MS to stay working.

You can learn more about World MS Day at the MS Society of Canada’s website: endMS.com and http://www.worldmsday.org

To show your support of World MS Day go to our ‘Spread the Word’  site to change your Facebook status and picture to a MS Badge or Logo, or Tweet that you are ‘celebrating MS Awareness Month, recognizing MS Awareness Month, promoting MS Awareness Month, or is participating in MS Awareness Month.’  Or, think of your own Tweet to help promote World MS Day!