Charity moves into digital realm

A long-running fundraising program to support people with Multiple Sclerosis has joined the digital age.

An annual read-a-thon promoted by the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada since 1977 this year invites participants to keep track of their reading on a new website.

“While we all appreciate a classic, we also know that children today want a modern approach,” Becky Mitts, the society’s fundraising director, says in a news release.

“So, to make MS Read-a-Thon more fun than ever before, we’ve built an exciting, interactive website where kids can track the books they read and customize cool avatars – all the while supporting their community and people living with MS,” she says.

The more they read, the more chance kids have to win prizes. And their family and friends are asked to make donations to the MS Society of Canada to encourage the child’s reading.

MS, a chronic autoimmune disease of the central nervous system, affects about one of every 400 people. It causes problems with vision, memory, balance, and mobility.

The MS Society provides information, support, and advocacy to people with MS, and also funds research into the causes and possible treatments for the disease.

To join this year’s MS Read-aThon, visit msreadathon.ca.

As of Monday, the national campaign, which continues until March 20, had 351 participants and had raised $43,683.