City council declares May as MS Awareness Month

FORT ST. JOHN— Fort St. John council proclaimed May as Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Awareness Month during their meeting on April 22nd.

Sherri Mytopher, an ambassador for MS Canada in northeast B.C., attended the declaration. During her presentation prior to the proclamation, she addressed the council about local MS fundraising efforts.

According to Mytopher, over $120,000 has been raised for research efforts for MS in the Fort St. John area since she began as an ambassador in 2016.

Mytopher also announced an MS Pub Night Fundraiser will be held at the Canadian Brewhouse located at 9203 100th Street on May 25th. 

“I want to say thank you very much for leading the way in raising awareness for MS in the Peace,” Mytopher said in her presentation to the council. 

Mytopher added that MS research in the past year concluded that Epstein Barr-Virus, which triggers infectious Mononucleosis, has been declared an MS early-onset indicator.

Mayor Hansen thanked Mytopher for her efforts to bring awareness about the disease.

“You’re a champion of your work,” said Hansen. “Thank you for making this visible. I think it’s important to keep the conversations going.”

Council agreed to raise the MS flag outside city hall for the month of May and will set up stage lighting to make the Centennial Park stage red in honour of World MS Day on May 30th.

A disease that affects over 90,000 people nationwide, MS is a terminal illness which affects the nervous system, according to MS Canada.

MS Canada’s website says the disease is an autoimmune disorder where the body attacks itself.  

The disease is considered an episodic disability, meaning that the severity and duration of illness and disability can vary and are often followed by periods of wellness. It can also be progressive.

MS Canada says that over 75 per cent of those diagnosed are women, and the average age of diagnosed individuals is 43 years old. 

Since 1948, MS Canada has raised over $218 million toward research in hopes of finding a cure.

To learn more about the disease or how to help, please visit MS Canada’s website.