TORONTO, ON--(Marketwired - September 10, 2015) - Regardless of what political party you are voting for, the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada is asking you to #ElectToFight for multiple sclerosis this fall. Building on an earlier awareness campaign, the MS Society of Canada, with help from voters across our country, is launching an online letter writing campaign to federal election candidates on September 10, 2015. Canadians are asked to join the fight to #endMS by sending a letter to their local candidates to ensure key decision makers know that our country has the highest rate of MS in the world, and that greater support is needed for those affected by Canada's disease.
From September 10 to October 19, Canadians will be asked to help put MS on the political radar. By visiting endMS.ca, people can send a message to their local candidates to highlight the importance of secure jobs and income for people living with MS and the need to accelerate MS research. Using their postal code, Canadians can find their local candidates, customize their message and click send. Once the message has been sent, advocates can share their participation in the campaign by using #ElectToFight and encourage their networks to write to their local candidates to #endMS.
"We hope to send more than 10,000 letters this fall to make MS top of mind for candidates in this federal election. We are asking for revisions to employment insurance and support programs to better accommodate people living with MS and funding to accelerate MS research. MS is Canada's disease, and it's time our government recognized this," says Julie Kelndorfer, director, government and community relations, MS Society of Canada.
Following the momentum of a recent Institute for Research on Public Policy (IRPP) report -- Leaving Some Behind: What Happens When Workers Get Sick -- that calls on the federal government to act as a champion for changes to Canada's income, disability and employment support systems for people affected by serious illness, the MS Society anticipates significant support from Canadians during this letter writing campaign. The IRPP's report is the result of a roundtable discussion on the burden and household impact of serious illness in Canada that took place this past June in Ottawa and was sponsored by the MS Society and other non-for-profit organizations.
MS Society representatives are available for interviews in both official languages. For more information and to get involved, the public may visit endms.ca.
About multiple sclerosis and the MS Society of Canada
Canada has the highest rate of multiple sclerosis in the world. MS is a chronic, often disabling disease of the central nervous system comprising the brain, spinal cord and optic nerve. It is one of the most common neurological diseases affecting young adults in Canada. Most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 15 and 40, and the unpredictable effects of MS last for the rest of their lives. The MS Society provides services to people with MS and their families and funds research to find the cause and cure for this disease. Please visit mssociety.ca or call 1-800-268-7582 to make a donation or for more information.
Join the conversation and connect with the MS community online. Find the MS Society on Twitter, Instagram or like our page on Facebook.
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Contact Information:
CONTACT:
Jody Fiorino
MS Society of Canada
1-800-268-7582 ext. 3015
jody.fiorino@mssociety.ca
