MS Ain’t Purdy Ready for 2016 Walk

Letter to the editor submitted by James Purdy. This letter has not been edited from the author’s original submission. 

Hello Everyone!

Spring is here and time for our annual fundraising for the MS Society!  As most of you know I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis several years ago and I continue to be very involved with the MS Society.  Thankfully I continue to live with very minor MS symptoms and my family and I are committed to doing as much as we can to END MS!

Over the past seven years, our team, MS Ain’t PURDY, has raised $318,308.88 through our involvement in the local Lakeland MS Walk in St. Paul and the MS Bike Ride in Leduc. Team MS Ain’t PURDY is an amazing group of friends and family that have all come together to support me and my family, and we are extremely thankful for the entire team!

Team MS Ain’t PURDY has been one of the top MS Walk fundraising teams in all of Canada year after year and it is thanks to the support from each of you!

Our local Lakeland MS Walk is on May 7th in St. Paul and the Leduc MS Bike Ride is June 11-12th.  If you are able come out and join team MS Ain’t PURDY at either event, please let me know!!
The funds this team has raised have gone a long way to help those living with MS.  Locally in the Lakeland area we have supported many families through special programs and services designed to help people cope with the disease.  This includes a mobile MS Clinic, information sessions, adapted yoga, and support groups.  We have also provided financial assistance to those affected by MS who unfortunately cannot afford to purchase the specialized equipment they require.  I continue to find it very rewarding to be able to make an impact in someone’s life by helping them navigate through this disease.

Currently there is no cure for MS but the MS Society also invests a significant amount of funds into research.  This includes research into different treatments, the causes of MS, diets, and also research to ultimately find a cure and END MS.

Our entire family is very committed to finding a cure for MS and our son, Griffin, has really stepped up in the last year and is taking it very seriously.  I was diagnosed with MS before his first birthday so it’s really all he has known.  He is now 8 years old and has been working hard to help find ways to help raise money, and he is very confident that we will see a cure to END this disease!

Griffin has helped secure some serious sponsors such as a $1,000 donation from his school last year and back in August he organized and ran a Toy Car Show with all funds going to the MS Society.  This year he again has some big ideas, but we’re running out of time… so keep your eyes open for some events coming up!!

Attached is a letter from Griffin and also a copy of a news article on his successful fundraising from last year’s MS Walk.  If you are able to support us again this year in our fight against MS, please check out Griffin’s fundraising link below.
http://mssoc.convio.net/goto/Griffin2016

Without the funds that we raise locally, the Lakeland Regional MS Society Office will not be able to provide the support required for those living here with MS.  We all know that times are tight right now, but I urge each of you to consider helping us yet again this year in our fight against MS.

THANK YOU, together we will END MS!

For more information about MS and the MS Society please check out the links below.
https://mssociety.ca/about-ms/what-is-ms
https://mssociety.ca/about-our-research-program/research-we-fund