The MS Read-a-Thon Adventures Continues Through March with a $110,000 Goal

Toronto, O.N., March 10, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society of Canada has extended its virtual MS Read-a-Thon event until March 20, 2022, providing children and families across Canada with three additional weeks of reading fun as they raise funds to support the multiple sclerosis (MS) community.

Throughout the month of March, MS Read-a-Thon Junior Ambassador Ainara Alleyne of the Instagram account @ainarasbookshelf will join the MS Society on social media to host live MS Read-a-Thon's "Bookworm Buddies" virtual book-club events. The Hamilton, Ontario-based 12-year-old will chat with authors and MS Read-a-Thon participants to discuss the joy for reading and share book recommendations. The next Bookworm Buddies event is set to take place on the MS Society's Instagram at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, March 11, where Ainara will interview author Julie Stamm. Julie recently published the children's book Some Days, a heartwarming tale about having a parent who lives with a chronic illness such as MS.

Ainara has previously hosted two successful Bookworm Buddies events that featured MS Ambassadors and children's authors, David Bouchard (Victoria, B.C.), Mireille Messier (Toronto, O.N.), and Ashley Spires (Delta, B.C.).

"I'm so excited to continue reading and fundraising for the MS Read-a-Thon alongside all of our Bookworm Buddies from across Canada. There's still time to sign-up and read books to help people living with MS in your community," says Ainara.

The MS Read-a-Thon has been an annual MS Society event for more than 40 years. Today's MS Read-a-Thon has shifted to the digital world, featuring an interactive website that allows kids to track the books they read, customize avatars, and earn badges as they reach fundraising milestones. The rules are simple ? read whatever you like, as much as you can until March 20, all while raising funds to support programs and mobilize research into finding a cure for the more than 90,000 Canadians who live with MS.

Melissa and her seven-year-old son Connor (Edmonton, A.B.) have participated in the MS Read-a-Thon as a family for two years to support Melissa in her journey with MS. She says, "MS Read-a-Thon has been such an excellent experience for our family. This event has sparked my son's love of reading and it is amazing to see him with his head in a book. It has also shown him that even though he is young, he can do big things like helping others who are impacted by MS."

Registration for MS Read-a-Thon is free, and children can register as part of their school or individually. Whether you are participating as an individual, in your classroom or within your school, you will be joining hundreds of other children and families who are making a difference in the lives of the Canadian MS community, one book at a time.

Since February, MS Read-a-Thon participants have raised over $70,000, nearing the overall campaign goal of $110,000. To learn more about Read-a-Thon and register for free, visit msreadathon.ca

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About multiple sclerosis and the MS Society of Canada

Canada has one of the highest rates of multiple sclerosis in the world. On average, 12 Canadians are diagnosed every day. MS is a chronic autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (brain, spinal cord). It 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. 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 MS Society provides information, support and advocacy to people affected by MS, and funds research to find the cause and cure for the disease, bringing us closer to a world free of MS. Please visit mssociety.ca or call 1-800-268-7582 for more information, to get involved, or to support Canadians affected by MS by making a donation. 

Join the conversation and connect with the MS community online. Find the MS Society on Twitter, Instagram or like our page on Facebook.