Battlefords MS Walk returns to support people living with ‘hidden disease’

“I remember my mom, for example, had to go for a ton of spinal taps,” she recalled. “And that alone, was brutal.”

MacDonald described MS as a “very hidden disease” that many people still do not fully understand.

“Exhaustion is one of the main symptoms…[but] everybody’s tired all the time,” she said. “So how do you know if a person has MS or not?”

She said her mother eventually had to stop working as a nurse because the disease became too debilitating.

According to MS Canada, more than 90,000 Canadians live with MS. It is one of the highest rates of disease in the world. Women are three times more likely to be diagnosed than men, and many new diagnoses occur between the ages of 20 and 49.

Symptoms can vary widely, ranging from fatigue and muscle weakness to vision problems, mobility challenges and cognitive difficulties. But MacDonald said one of the hardest parts of the disease can be the emotional toll and isolation people experience.

“One of the toughest things about MS is social isolation and depression because she got to the point where she was so exhausted all the time,” she said, recalling a conversation with another woman living with the disease. “She did not feel like she could socially be around other people.”

That is why she believes the walk matters beyond the dollars raised.

“People with MS seeing people come out and support them is so valuable because it’s such an isolated thing,” she said. “To have people show that they care about you is so good for their mental health when dealing with this disease.”

Funds raised through the walk help support research, advocacy and community programs for people living with MS. MacDonald said many people may not realize how much direct support MS Canada provides to families coping with the disease.

“There’s grants and different things like that you can apply for to have a person come and help you clean your house,” she said.

She added the organization also connects newly diagnosed people with peer support.

Last year’s revived walk attracted 75 registered participants and raised more than $12,000. This year’s fundraising goal is $14,000.

The event will begin at Discovery Co-op, with registration opening at 10 a.m. before the walk starts at 11 a.m. Walkers will head along 95th Street toward 19th Avenue before looping back along the walking path near Territorial Drive behind the mall. Donations will also be accepted on-site throughout the morning.

MacDonald said she hopes the event continues to grow as more people in the community realize the walk has returned.

“We, of course, want people, if they can, to support the cause,” she said. “But coming out and just being there for people that have MS in the community is such a huge, impactful thing to do.”

Anyone interested in registering or donating can find more information through MS Canada’s website.

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Kenneth.Cheung@pattisonmedia.com

by Kenneth Cheung

Battlefords MS Walk returns to support people living with ‘hidden disease’

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