Canadian Soccer Star Christine Sinclair Teaming Up with A&W Restaurants to Battle Multiple Sclerosis

Christine Sinclair, captain of Canadian women’s soccer teams that won two Olympic bronze medals,  has joined the fight against multiple sclerosis by supporting A&W’s Burgers to Beat MS campaign.

The Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada said Sinclair will visit A&W restaurants across Canada on Aug. 23 and 24 to raise funds and awareness of MS.

Sinclair is close to the cause because her mother, Sandi, who coached her soccer teams when Christine was a child, has the disease. Sandi is one of about 100,000 people with MS in Canada, which has the highest rate of the disease in the world.

“I have become a part of this to educate the public and support finding a cure,” Sinclair said in a press release. “I don’t want other people to go through what my family has gone through, with the difficulties my mom faces every day.”

Sandi Sinclair now lives in a long-term care facility. Christine decided to help the MS Society of Canada after her mother’s mobility become more and more limited, and she finally ended up in a wheelchair.

“Each year we look forward to our partnership with A&W,” said Valerie Hussey, chair of the MS Society of Canada’s board of directors. “We are excited to have Christine, a Canadian icon, share her personal connection to MS and help raise awareness for our cause.”

Burgers to Beat MS, now in its ninth year, has raised nearly $10 million for the cause. It is the country’s largest annual fundraiser benefiting the MS Society of Canada.

From this week on, about 900 A&W restaurants nationwide will be helping the society raise funds. Supporters will be able to donate by rounding up their bill at the register, by buying $1, $2 or $5 paper cutouts, or by dropping cash in donation mugs. Supporters will also be able to contribute online.

“Our goal this year is to raise $2 million, and we are thrilled to have Christine Sinclair, a proven champion, join us in supporting this important campaign,” said Paul Hollands, chairman and chief executive officer of A&W Canada.

“Burgers to Beat MS started with a small group of A&W operators wanting to make a difference,” he said. “Every year it has grown, making a real difference in helping those affected by this debilitating disease.”

The campaign will end with a special day on Thursday, Aug. 24, when those who run the restaurants double every donation made from the sale of Teen Burgers. This means the donation on each burger will go from $1 to $2.

With the help of Sinclair and other generous donors, staff and restaurant patrons, A&W hopes to top its previous contributions to MS research.

“The doubling of donations from the Teen Burger this year demonstrates the generosity of the A&W family and their guests during Burgers to Beat MS,” Hussey said. “Our collaboration with A&W has supported significant research projects and helped us improve the lives of Canadians with MS day to day.”