FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
27th
Annual Multiple Sclerosis Carnation Campaign launches on Parliament
Hill
OTTAWA, ON (May 6,
2003) – Parliament
Hill is the backdrop for the launch of the 27th annual
MS Carnation Campaign set for Wednesday, May 7th.
Just before 2 p.m., Paddy Torsney, MP for Burlington, Ontario
and volunteers from the Ottawa Chapter of the Multiple Sclerosis
Society of Canada will hand out carnations to MPs as they enter
the House of Commons for Question Period.
“I
am honoured to be a part of this campaign and wish the MS Society
the greatest success in raising awareness and funds for this
important cause,” says Ms. Torsney. From May 7th until
Mother’s Day, May 11th, thousands of
volunteers in more than 280 communities across Canada will be
selling carnations on street corners, malls and other public
spaces to help find a cure for MS. The campaign is expected
to raise $1 million.
Since its inception in 1976, the MS Carnation Campaign has raised
over $30 million to help support MS research and to provide
services for people who have multiple sclerosis. An estimated
50,000 Canadians have multiple sclerosis, an often disabling
disease that attacks the central nervous system. Currently,
there is no known cause or cure. MS usually strikes young adults
between the ages of 20 and 40, and women twice as often as men.
Canada has one of the highest rates of MS in the world. For
more information about multiple sclerosis, please visit www.mssociety.ca.
.
For more information contact:
Stewart Wong
Senior CoordinatorNational Fund Raising EventsMultiple Sclerosis
Society of Canada
(416) 967-3025
stewart.wong@mssociety.ca
Brad McNulty
Manager, Public Education & Communications Ottawa Chapter
Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada
(613) 728-1583 ext 110
brad.mcnulty@mssociety.ca
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