A Different Kind of Birthday Celebration

On Sunday April 19th, 749 registered participants gathered at Jim Archdekin Recreation Centre to Walk to end MS at the 17th Annual Brampton MS Walk!

During the Opening Ceremonies Walk Chair, Larry Imber, wished, Noah Galan, one of our youngest Top Fundraisers, a Happy 9th Birthday. Noah decided that instead of having a birthday party this year, he wanted to attend the Walk and rather than getting presents he asked his friends and family for pledges!

“Noah thought the walk was really "cool". He really enjoyed it and his friends were so happy for him. He completed the whole 10K which was a surprise to me and everyone else. We were all very proud of him for what he did. I missed the Opening ceremonies when they said Happy Birthday to him. It's probably best that I did or I'd be needing a clean up crew for my tears” said mother, Colina Galan. Noah raised $755 and walked 10km in honour of his mom! Way to go Noah, you are a true inspiration!!

Congratulations to Saverio DiMondo for raising $9,400 and being our Top Fundraiser! Another big congratulations goes out to Team Captain, Nancy Kastner, and all of the members of Wacky Women on the Walk for raising $12,466 as a team! Walkers in Brampton this year, collectively raised $178, 544! It has been a pleasure to work with such a dedicated community.

Melissa Hurley

Congratulations St. Catharines!

Over 650 people gathered for the annual MS Walk at the Port Dalhousie Lions Club to fundraise, volunteer, Walk and join the fight to end MS!

The St. Catharies-Thorold Walk alone raised over $158,000 to support local services. The MS Walk continues to also be a significant program in funding research towards a cure for MS.

This year there was an overwhelming response with fantastic local support from Jim Bradley, MPP, many local sponsors and the community as a whole.
Congratulations to our top fundraiser, Ineke Bezuyen and to the top fundraising team, ‘Al’s Pals.’

Thank you so much to everyone who came out as a Walker, volunteer or sponsor. We could not have done it without you!

Jessica Cook
Coordinator, Fundraising Events

Dafeet MS

One day in early March I was sitting at my desk and someone came to the door- it was a participant who was bringing in some money for the MS Walk. I got up, greeted him, took his pledge money and thanked him- what I didn’t know at the time was how dedicated and driven this man, Andy, and his team “Dafeet MS” were to making a difference for people in the Hamilton community affected by MS.

In the weeks following, Andy dropped by our office on a weekly basis bringing hundreds of dollars for himself and his teammates. I became curious about this team so I went online to see how much they had raised- I was floored!

The next time Andy came into our office, we talked about his team and how well they were doing; he told me this was the year they decided they had to do something to help end MS, “We have been participating in the MS Walk for a few years but realized we can do more and want to do more.” This team comprised of family and friends are completely dedicated to the cause and are passionate about ending MS. It was not only the fact that their team, cleverly named by Team Captain Tamara, “Dafeet MS”, raised over $18,000, but it was their hope and unwillingness to give up that I found truly inspiring. They were our highest pledged team, and took home the award for best team spirit.

Alison Foreman
Fundraising Coordinator
Hamilton Chapter

Summer Reading!

Welcome Summer! We all enjoy the long, relaxing days of summer. Family BBQ’s, trips to the beach and catching up on your favourite blog, EveryStepMatters.ca! The 2009 MS Walk has come and gone but over the summer we will have some great news and stories to share with you right here. Join us every week for a new short story portraying an MS Walk from a local* viewpoint. You are invited to comment, share your thoughts and keep the movement to end MS going all summer.

Subscribe to EveryStepMatters.ca using the tools on the left hand side of the page or follow the updates on Facebook, Twitter, & LinkedIn.

Enjoy!

Ashleigh
Senior Coordinator, Fundraising Events
MS Society of Canada, Ontario Division

*Not all communities will have posts. We will be selecting stories that represent different regions and aspects of the Walk.

endMS "Brazilian Style"

Straight from Rio de Janeiro, a street footballer showcased all his soccer skills, while demonstrating his support for the endMS campaign.

"endMS" is a three–year national campaign with a goal of raising $60 million to fund research activities and establish the endMS Research and Training Network. The Network is a first in the MS community and represents an immediate, dedicated investment to advance Canada’s leadership position in MS research.

The goal of the endMS Research and Training Network is to accelerate research to end multiple sclerosis. The Network will help attract and train young researchers and retain seasoned scientists in an effort to speed the pace of discovery.

Enjoy - and share it with your friends! Together, we will end MS.