MS Society takes to Parliament Hill urging Members to act now to improve #LifeWithMS

Secure income and employment, improved access, and investment in health research among priorities

TORONTO, April 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- From April 30 to May 2, 2018 representatives from the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada will meet with parliamentarians in Ottawa to launch MS Awareness Month (May). With hosting a parliamentary reception, and having more than 80 meetings scheduled, the focus is on raising awareness about MS and getting the government to take action to improve #LifeWithMS.

Canada has one of the highest rates of multiple sclerosis in the world. MS impacts all Canadians, not only the individuals living with the disease, but also their friends, families, workplaces, and healthcare teams. This makes advocacy and action related to MS a top priority for Canadians.

Priorities include secure income and employment (flexible/inclusive employment and support for those with MS and other episodic disabilities), improved access (changes to accessibility legislation; affordable treatments; investing in comprehensive care and housing), and investment in health research (recognizing and supporting the role health charities and patients play in the health research ecosystem).

MS symptoms are unpredictable and vary from person to person making it challenging in maintaining an adequate quality of life. The barriers in support programs and legislation across all levels of government create immense challenges for Canadian families.

“It’s important for those living with MS to share our stories so that our voices are heard,” says Lizelle Mendoza, diagnosed with MS in 2007. “Although we’ve come a long way in supporting Canadians living with disabilities, we still have a long road ahead of us. I believe that investing in research can help us get there. Recognizing and supporting the voices of people like myself, people who live with the realities of MS every day, needs to play a role in the health research environment. Having people like me involved in the research process can help us turn that ‘what if’ into ‘when and how' and bring us closer to a world free of MS.”

Throughout MS Awareness Month and leading up to World MS Day (May 30), the MS Society continues to highlight the importance of research in the MS community and across the country, which helps lead us to new treatments, better quality of life and one day, a cure.

Parliamentarians are invited to a reception on the evening of Monday, April 30 to learn more about how the MS Society is accelerating research to improve #LifeWithMS.

At 1pm on Wednesday, May 2, the annual Carnation Pinning Ceremony will take place in the House of Commons foyer. MS Society representatives, members of the MS community and party representatives Hedy Fry (Vancouver Centre), Kerry Diotte (Edmonton Griesbach) and Kennedy Stewart (Burnaby South) will present carnations as a symbol of solidarity with Canadians affected by MS, to Members of Parliament as they enter the day’s session. MPs involved in the ceremony will present members’ statements calling for support for the cause from fellow parliamentarians.

About multiple sclerosis and the MS Society of Canada
Canada has one of the highest rates of multiple sclerosis in the world. MS is a chronic, often disabling disease of the central nervous system comprising the brain, spinal cord and optic nerve. It is one of the most common neurological diseases affecting young adults in Canada. Most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 15 and 40, and the unpredictable effects of MS last for the rest of their lives. The MS Society provides services to people with MS and their families and funds research to find the cause and cure for this disease. Please visit mssociety.ca or call 1-800-268-7582 to make a donation or for more information.

Join the conversation and connect with the MS community online. Find the MS Society on Twitter, Instagram or like our page on Facebook.

CONTACT:          

Jennifer Asselin, MS Society of Canada
1-800-268-7582 ext. 3144
jennifer.asselin@mssociety.ca