The MS Readathon to begin next week!

Lorna Cahill, Clontarf, who is living with MS is an ambassador for the campaign and is pictured with her children, Harry and Sophia. (Picture: Marc O'Sullivan)

The MS Readathon is set to take place once again, beginning on November 1st and lasting the full month of November.

This year Multiple Sclerosis Ireland will be launching an updated interactive website (www.msreadathon.ie) and thousands of readers young and old will take part in raising awareness and vital funds to support the 9,000 people living with MS, the most common debilitating neurological condition affecting young adults in Ireland.

The MS Readathon is Ireland’s biggest sponsored reading initiative when young readers raise funds for vital services to help people living with Multiple Sclerosis in local communities.

The campaign is MS Ireland’s oldest and most anticipated event each year, originally launched by Roald Dahl in 1988 and has grown ever since.

Traditionally, the campaign has been popular amongst the schoolchildren of Ireland, but this year MS Ireland is encouraging ‘grown up’ readers to take part and get their offices, clubs and families to rediscover their love of reading.

MS is the most common debilitating neurological condition affecting young adults in Ireland, with three times more women than men diagnosed with MS. There is no known cause or cure.

LOVE OF READING

Ava Battles, Chief Executive of MS Ireland outlined the importance of the annual event.

“We were delighted with the response to last year’s virtual Readathon and we are all excited that the Readathon is back for its 34th year. For many children, the MS Readathon is the first time that they connect with books and literature and develop a lifelong love of reading.

“The MS Readathon is so important to MS Ireland and the MS community, it is our biggest fundraising campaign, and we simply cannot keep our services running without it. We look forward to children, parents, teachers, and readers of all ages getting stuck into thousands of books throughout the month of November and supporting the 9,000 people in Ireland living with MS and their families.

“Their efforts have been greatly appreciated and as each annual MS Readathon comes around, we want to acknowledge this.”

Multiple Sclerosis, meaning ‘many scars’, affects the motor, sensory and cognitive functioning of the body and is usually diagnosed between 20 and 40 years of age. The impact of MS on individuals, their families and the community can undermine the resilience that is needed for individuals to remain purposeful and in control of their lives.