ST. PAUL – The County of St. Paul will provide a $1,000 grant to the MS Society of Canada - Lakeland Region for the 15th annual St. Paul Jayman BUILT MS Walk. The event, which will take place on May 28, aims to raise funds to help Canadians living with multiple sclerosis (MS).
MS is a central nervous system disease, according to information from the MS Society of Canada. It is a disease that causes the immune system to attack a coating, called the myelin, that protects the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves.
When myelin is damaged, it may erode the body’s ability to communicate with the brain and function normally, affecting vision, memory, balance, and mobility. There is no cure for MS.
During a delegation with county council on Feb. 14, Brenda Rosychuk with the MS Society of Canada, said the MS Walk began in St. Paul in 2008. Since then, the annual walk has been raising thousands of dollars each year to support those affected by the disease.
When the pandemic hit, fundraising efforts shifted to virtual walks across the country, said Rosychuk. The amount of money raised was reduced to two thirds of the usual amount raised, each year.
“Last year, we came back in-person, and we’re very excited and very eager to get back on the ground again,” she told council. The MS Society estimates over 100 walkers will take part in the upcoming walk. The event aims to raise $65,000 this year.
In 2022, the St. Paul-based MS Walk raised just over $60,000, “so we’re upping our goal a little bit this year,” said Rosychuk.
According to a report released in 2020 by the MS International Federation, over 90,000 Canadians are living with MS, which is one in every 400 persons. The report also indicates that 75 per cent of people living with MS are women.
Rosychuk concluded her presentation by thanking the County for its support since the walk’s inception in 2008. County council unanimously passed a motion to provide a $1,000 grant for the St. Paul Jayman BUILT MS Walk.
