Kinsmen and Kinette Clubs throughout Atlantic Canada have partnered with the Multiple

Sclerosis Society, Atlantic Division since 1978. Kinsmen John Sears of Fredericton, New Brunswick shortly after his diagnosis with Multiple Sclerosis, initiated the relationship. Now almost 30 years later, this alliance has generated funds in excess of $2.2 million for research and services as well as public awareness of one of Canada’s most common neurological diseases. The Association of Kin is a service organization founded in 1920 whose object and aims are based on a uniquely Canadian perspective. 564 Kinsmen, Kinette and Kin Clubs span Canada coast to coast to coast offering their members not only a well-rounded social calendar but also an opportunity to help people by serving the community’s greatest need.

Multiple Sclerosis is a complex disease

While it is most often diagnosed in young adults, aged 15 to 40, we know that it affects children, some as young as two years old. The impact is felt by family, friends and by the community. MS is unpredictable, affecting vision, hearing, memory, balance and mobility. Its effects are physical, emotional, financial, and last a lifetime. There is no cure.

The Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada is here to help. No one need face MS alone. In communities across Canada, our volunteers and staff provide information, support, educational events and other resources for people with MS and their families. Researchers funded by the MS Society are working to develop new and better treatments. Their ultimate goal is the cure for MS.

Did you know….

• Canadians have one of the highest rates of multiple sclerosis in the world.
• MS is the most common neurological disease affecting young adults in Canada. There are several types of MS
• Every day, three more people in Canada are diagnosed with MS.
• Women are more than three times as likely to develop MS as men.
• MS can cause loss of balance, impaired speech, extreme fatigue, double vision and paralysis.
• MS was first identified and described by a French neurologist, Dr. Jean-Martin Charcot, in 1868.
• We don't know what causes MS but researchers are closer to finding the answer.