MS Read-a-thon kicks off
February 16th I attended Our Lady of Lourdes Elementary School in Manitouwadge, to help the students kick off their participation in the MS Read-A-Thon. Students and teachers gathered in the gymnasium where teacher Debbie Arola introduced me. I spoke about my experience with Multiple Sclerosis since being diagnosed in 2006, I had brought along my wheelchair, which I haven’t had to use in months, to help the students identify with the successes people battling MS can experience now a days thanks to fundraising like the read-a-thon and the dollars that go towards research.
Karina Hunter addressing students at OLOL's MS Read-A-Thon kick off. Photo by Melanie Glaister.
I invited several students to join me, having them play the parts of the Brain, Nerves, Spinal Cord and Body, I played the part of the Nerves and then of the Nerves damaged by MS; the brain tried to relay a message to the Body à la telephone and, when damaged by MS the Nerves (aka me) did not relay the message properly. They were a great audience, in spite of my fears of public speaking things went well thanks to a room full of very polite and attentive children. I was thrilled when, one student asked whether “MS is contageous” a great query as many others were certainly wondering the same thing (it’s not).
Thank you to the students and staff of OLOL, I’m looking forward to hearing of this year’s grand total raised – last year it was approximately $1,400 !!! WOW, incredible for a school of one hundred chidren. Good luck to all of them and thank you for your continued efforts in the search for a cure for Multiple Sclerosis.
See it from another perspective… Pick up your copy of this week’s The Echo or check out their website at www.theecho.ca to read Kurt Costigan’s story about my visit to OLOL.
