After 25 years in the MS Walk, top fundraiser ready to pass the torch
Over the years, Kitchener woman has raised more than $120,000 for programs and research
KITCHENER — Linda Jarrett joined her first MS Walk 25 years ago to support a close friend with the disease.
The Kitchener woman had no idea she also had multiple sclerosis, and that in a few years she would be diagnosed with the disease and raising funds in hopes of finding help for herself, too. “So, suddenly my participating in the walk became a little more personal,” Jarrett said.
This year will be the 25th — and last — time she takes part in the local MS Walk. It is May 6 in Kitchener.
Every spring, more than 30,000 people in communities across the country join the event to raise funds for the MS Society of Canada to support programs and services and fund research.
This final year of participating is bittersweet for Jarrett, who has been a top individual fundraiser for several years running. Over the years, she’s raised more than $120,000. She’s at almost $15,000 already this year with a goal of $20,000.
“Part of me is sad. I’ll miss the fame and glory of being the No. 1 fundraiser,” she said.
But she’s also plagued by fatigue — a common symptom of the disease — and wants to conserve her energy for more personal pursuits, like spending time with her young grandchildren.
“I’m tired. I’d like someone else to take up the torch.”
She was 50 when she was diagnosed with MS in 1998, and since then her mobility has steadily decreased. First she needed a cane, then a walker and now she’s dependent on a scooter. “Physically, it has taken its toll.” Canada has one of the highest rates of multiple sclerosis in the world; it is estimated that one out of every 340 Canadians lives with the disease.
‘‘ I have been a stubborn, independent women my whole life. I was just not going to let MS stop me. LINDA JARRETT
MS is an auto-immune disease of the central nervous system, most often diagnosed in young adults. Symptoms include extreme fatigue, lack of coordination, weakness, tingling, impaired sensation, vision problems and cognitive impairment.
MS is unpredictable and there is currently no cure. Looking back, Jarrett had fleeting symptoms years before she was diagnosed.
Although she now faces the challenges of living with multiple sclerosis every day, Jarrett says she’s “one of the lucky ones.”
“I feel blessed that I did not know I had MS until I was 50.”
People tell her she’s an inspiration, but for Jarrett it’s all about determination.
When she could no longer drive her car, she got a wheelchair accessible van with hand controls to get around on her own.
“I have been a stubborn, independent woman my whole life,” Jarrett said. “I was not going to let MS stop me.”
Find out more about the walk or donate at mssociety.ca.
Participants like Jarrett also have individual fundraising pages.