Today was A & W’s Cruisin’ to End MS Day – an annual fundraiser to raise funds to cure Multiple Sclerosis – a suspected autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system (credit Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada).
Just a few short months ago, it is a disease that I learned to fear as I underwent testing for it due to numbness in my face. As I read more about MS, I was saddened to learn how much suffers are affected and the lack of a cure for this crippling disorder. Though my face numbness was eventually attributed to neck damage and migraines, the severity of MS has touched me deeply and I want to see a cure for those who are suffering today.
The cure for MS won’t be found overnight, nor will cures for many other diseases. As a global community, we need to encourage and support the science community to continue researching these life-affecting diseases in lieu of researching the next big diet pill. Big pharma needs to help too. Unfortunately, the money to be made from “trendy” medical pills and procedures can be much more attractive to researchers (and to big pharma funders) than underfunded scientific research on disease elimination and prevention.
But, through encouragement, support, awareness campaigns and fundraisers for medical research, we can conquer major diseases and help others live a long, healthy life. Together we can help find a cure.
