MS Bike Encourages Cyclists to Go the Distance for MS Awareness

TORONTO, June 16, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The MS Bike is back with in-person events for the first time in three years. Organized by the Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society of Canada, the MS Bike brings communities and cyclists together to build awareness for multiple sclerosis (MS) and raise funds for MS research and services that are fundamental to changing lives.

This year, there will be 11 in-person MS Bike events across the country, as well as virtual options. Thousands of participants from coast to coast have registered for the MS Bike, raising more than $1.2 million to date in pursuit of a $4.5 million fundraising goal.

Kicking off four months of MS Bike events is the 24^th annual Fraser Valley MS Bike in British Columbia, taking place June 18 and 19, 2022. MS Bike events are also scheduled for:

• Airdrie to Olds, AB (28^th anniversary): June 25 and 26
• Leduc to Camrose, AB (33^rd anniversary): July 9 and 10
• Grand Bend to London, ON (32^nd anniversary): July 23 and 24
• Annapolis Valley, NS: August 6 and 7
• Cowichan, BC (23^rd anniversary): August 13 and 14
• Ottawa to Brockville, ON: August 20 and 21
• Trois-Rivières, QC: August 27
• Gimli, MB (33^rd anniversary): August 27 and 28 `
• Hinton, AB (23^rd anniversary): September 10 and 11
• Wakesiu, SK (22^nd anniversary): September 17
• Canada-Wide MS Bike: Anywhere you choose!
  

"After two years apart, we're thrilled to be coming together as a community in locations across the country for the MS Bike, raising awareness and important funds for those affected by MS," says Kyla Arsenault, Senior Director, Community Fundraising, MS Society of Canada. "The MS Bike is a testament to the resilience of the MS community who have faced tremendous uncertainty, on top of an already uncertain disease, throughout this pandemic. Regardless of where or how they cycle, MS Bike participants are taking collective action to diminish that uncertainty and move us closer to a world free of MS."

MS Bike encourages cyclists to make a difference, from anywhere, in the lives of the more than 90,000 Canadians who live with MS. Cyclists can choose to ride in an in-person MS Bike event or participate virtually in their own neighbourhood. Virtual participants can select their date and distance, receiving an exclusive finisher medal after they ride and log 90 km.

Mary MacGregor has participated in the Leduc to Camrose MS Bike in Alberta for nearly 20 years, registering for her first event the same year she was diagnosed with MS. "When you're first diagnosed with MS, it's easy to feel scared and isolated. Being a part of the MS Bike that first year after my diagnosis was an emotional experience that allowed me to see that I wasn't alone. There's a lot of hope and optimism at the ride, which we continue to see year after year."

The health and safety of all MS Bike participants remains a top priority. Although COVID-19 restrictions may differ across the country, the MS Society will closely monitor the situation in each community where an in-person event is scheduled and take all precautions to ensure the safety of participants, volunteers, and staff.

For more information about the MS Bike and to find an option available in your preferred location, please visit msbike.ca.

About multiple sclerosis and the MS Society of Canada

Canada has one of the highest rates of multiple sclerosis (MS) 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.

CONTACTS:

Faisal Ikram
MS Society of Canada
(647) 362-8529
[email protected]

Sarah Greening
MS Society of Canada
(782)-800-9894
[email protected]