MS Society of Canada

Perhaps your first question is What is MS? You will find lots more information in other part of my website, but this will get you started:

Diagram of myelin

MS is Multiple Sclerosis, which means multiple lesions or scars on the central nervous system (CNS) which is the brain and the spinal cord. The scars are on the myelin, a fatty sheath that covers along the length of the nerves. Very simply, think of the pvc insulation on an electric cable. If the myelin is gone, the nerve signals cannot pass properly. If the nerve signals don’t go through or don’t go smoothly, then wherever the signal was going to is affected. Hence, MS can affect anywhere in the body.

The MS Society of Canada provides services to people with multiple sclerosis

and their families and funds research to find the cause and cure for this disease. We have a membership of 17,000 and are the only national voluntary organization in Canada that supports both MS research and services. Since our founding in 1948, the core support of the MS Society has been from tens of thousands of dedicated individuals, companies and foundations in communities across Canada. The Society receives almost no funding from government.

In volunteering with the MS Society of Canada, BCY Division, I’ve done many different things, from chapter board member and chapter chair, to regional board member, to Kelowna MS Walk volunteer to Kelowna MS Walk chair. I’ve also been involved in a number of provincial committees. One of the areas that I’m most active is the government relations committee, where we advocate for changes that can improve the lives of people with MS. In 2017 we produced a comprehensive toolkit for the 2017 BC Provincial Election:

https://mssociety.ca/support-services/programs-and-services/386/take-action-bc-and-yukon-division