With almost twice as many participants as last year, the 2016 version of the MS Walk had to be declared a success, even before it began.
The Estevan walk was just one of 144 planned across Canada, said Sierra Thompson, the South Saskatchewan development manager for the MS Society from Regina, who arrived in Estevan to bolster the local effort.
The registration process was handled swiftly, even with the unanticipated extra walkers this year, said local organizer Marieke de Roos who added that by the time Estevan Mayor Roy Ludwig sounded the start of the walk, with a blast from an air horn, the walk still got underway at the scheduled 1 p.m. start time.
Thompson said an actual (official) financial tabulation won’t be available from the Estevan walk for at least a couple of weeks. She was certain that, based on the information she had gathered by Monday morning, the Estevan walk will have generated over $10,000 in donations. Participants have until June 13 to hand in their final amounts, so that number could jump a bit more before the official tally is declared.
“A fantastic event,” said Thompson, when asked about the Estevan walk. She said the local volunteer component was handled well and the community enthusiasm and commitment toward the MS Society was encouraging.
“The feedback we received from the walkers was that they enjoyed the route. The police escort made sure all walkers were safe and that was great to see because we had quite a few young children involved this year and in a few areas there were no sidewalks,” said de Roos.
Nicole Smigel, who has been diagnosed with MS and is now heading up a local support group, spoke briefly to the walk participants about the local support team and how they can connect, either in person or online.
The fiv-kilometre walk took the participants from the school a few blocks north to Wellock Road, where they then entered Cundall Drive and King Street and back to the school, through the Pleasantdale subdivision with one refreshment stop along the way. The weather conditions were ideal with the temperature at just over 20 C degrees and light breezes under sunny skies.
“It was pretty impressive to see the walkers, some of them who have MS, walking with their families. The local sponsors made sure we didn’t go without food and drink, even though we had more people than we expected,” added de Roos.
“It’s a bit scary because the number of people being diagnosed with MS seems to be on the rise lately so raising funds for research and education and raising awareness at the same time, is pretty important,” Deroos said.
Ten other communities in Saskatchewan held MS Walks this year to raise funds for research into the causes, risks and potential cures of this progressive affliction. The MS Society also funds a variety of programs and services to help those affected by MS, as they cope with the disease and that includes support groups, like the Estevan chapter.
The society also does advocacy work by lobbying for more flexible income and employment supports for Canadians affected by MS plus caregiver supports and co-ordinated care. Blue Cross is the major sponsorship partner for the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada.
The disease generally strikes the nervous system in people between the ages of 15 and 40.
