With 12 Canadians diagnosed daily, Midland declares May MS awareness month

Midland is recognizing a debilitating disease that afflicts nearly 100,000 Canadians.

During a flag-raising at town hall Wednesday, Mayor Bill Gordon shared some words with staff to honour those living with multiple sclerosis, their caregivers and their families and proclaim May as MS awareness month.

"Thank you to Isabella (who raised the MS flag) for sharing some impactful words and your experience living with MS," Gordon said, noting it's important to continue the conversation surrounding access to necessary support and education.

And on May 26, the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada will be holding fundraising walks and events across the country, including in this area, "to show that no person living with multiple sclerosis is alone."  

According to the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada, Canada has one of the highest rates of multiple sclerosis (MS) in the world, with an estimated 90,000 Canadians living with the disease.

"On average, 12 Canadians are diagnosed with MS every day. Most people are diagnosed with MS between the ages of 20 and 49 and the unpredictable effects of the disease will last for the rest of their lives," the agency says.

MS is a neurological disease of the central nervous system which includes the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves. It is considered an episodic disability meaning that the severity and duration of symptoms and disability can vary. It can also be progressive.

Despite decades of research, the cause of MS remains a mystery, according to MS Canada.

"The best current evidence suggests that lifestyle, environmental, genetic and biological factors all contribute. All these areas are being actively examined. Studies funded by MS Canada are asking if certain risk factors, such as gender, age, family history or lifestyle habits impact a person’s susceptibility to MS."

As for initial diagnosis, 60% of adults diagnosed with MS are between the ages of 20 and 49 years old. While it is most often diagnosed in adults aged 20 to 49, younger children and older adults are also diagnosed with the disease.

In Canada, 43 is the average age of MS diagnosis. 75% of people in Canada living with MS are women. Women are three times more likely to be diagnosed with MS than men.