Homebuilder donates $10,000 to MS Canada awareness fundraiser

Homebuilder Jayman Built is donating $10,000 to MS Canada ahead of the nonprofit’s annual MS Walk fundraiser to raise awareness of the disease, thanks to a successful social media campaign.

The contribution adds to the nearly $1.5 million the Alberta, Canada, company has provided to the organization over the last nine years as title sponsor of the Jayman Built MS Walk.

The event will take place May 26, along with other walks throughout Canada, which has one of the highest rates of multiple sclerosis (MS) in the world. May is Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month in Canada.

The additional donation stems from the company’s collaborative social media effort, “$10K for 10,000 followers,” in which Jayman sought to bring its number of Instagram followers to 10,000 before the MS Walk to raise funds for research and support programs. That goal was reached in two weeks.

During presentations in Calgary and Edmonton, Jayman and MS Canada representatives celebrated the campaign, which has sparked broader online conversations about MS and its impact on Canadians, according to a company press release. Carlos Rodrigo Camara Lemarroy, MD, a neurologist and assistant professor at the University of Calgary’s Cumming School of Medicine, shared the latest in MS research at the events, the company said.

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More than 90,000 Canadians live with the progressive neurodegenerative disorder, with an average of 12 people being diagnosed daily. Some 60% of adults diagnosed in Canada are between age 20 and 49 years old, making MS the most common neurological condition among young adults in the country.

“Multiple sclerosis has touched the lives of countless Canadians, including several of our Jayman employees,” said Dave Hooge, chief operating officer of Jayman Built. “Our dedication to MS Canada is unwavering. We stand committed until a cure is found, and we take immense pride in witnessing the tangible impact of our fundraising efforts through events like the Jayman Built MS Walk.”

Jayman’s walks will kick off across a number of Alberta locations, including Calgary’s North Glenmore Park, Edmonton’s Rundle Park, Red Deer’s Bower Ponds Amphitheater, St. Paul’s Lagasse Park, Lethbridge’s Henderson Lake Park, and Medicine Hat’s Strathcona Island Park. Two Jayman teams will participate in Calgary and Edmonton events.

The MS Walk will take place at other locations in Atlantic Canada, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, and Saskatchewan (one walk, the Central Okanagan MS Walk, occurs on May 25), with the goal of raising CA$4 million ($2.9 million).

Participants may walk as individuals or teams, and may also join the fundraiser virtually. Supporters may also choose to participate with other Canadians from coast to coast in the MS Walk — Canada-Wide.

Each registered participant who has MS is eligible for an “I Have MS” T-shirt, and there are rewards for top fundraisers.

“MS Canada is grateful for our continued partnership with Jayman Built as the title sponsor of Alberta’s MS Walk,” said Meredith Bongers, senior director, community, at MS Canada. “Support like this assures people living with MS know that they are not alone. Every dollar raised helps provide support programs and fuels fundamental research, driving us closer to understanding, halting, and ultimately preventing MS.”

MS Canada invests in research that seeks to advance MS treatment and care, advocates for patients, and connects the community to resources and programs.