During a hike at the peak of Mount Robson, in charge of a dozen boy scouts, one leader couldn't lift his leg to climb any more.
Tying a rope behind his knee and physically lifting the leg, Rod Mulligan, then in his 40s, managed to get back down the mountain with the troop and second in command but the mystery as to why he couldn't lift that leg wasn't solved until he saw a neurologist some time later.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) was the diagnosis in 1997.
It was tough news to take for the avid downhill skier and hiker.
"The last time I skied was Powder King and I wasn't able to go down the hill all the way and a ski patrol sent a snowmobile for me and that was the last of my skiing days," said Mulligan, who was a school teacher and now tutors students at the Native Friendship Centre.
Mulligan, who is one of 100,000 Canadians with MS, sits on the board of the local branch of the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada as he has for the last 15 years.
"I am on the board of directors to help people because that's the name of the game, isn't it?" said Mulligan, who also volunteers at the information desk at the hospital. "Being able to help people in a small way, to encourage them or to refer them to a service or provide any kind of help, that's what's important."
To help promote awareness and raise funds, Mulligan, who uses two canes to walk, invites everyone to attend the 2014 Scotiabank MS Walk at Fort George Park this Sunday. Registration is at 11 a.m. and the walk starts at noon. People are encouraged to participate with scooters, strollers, inline skates, wheelchairs or any other way they can. Following the walk, participants are invited to enjoy lunch, refreshments and music.
Organizer Lorrine Adams can help with team registration by e-mailing [email protected].
Last year's Prince George event raised $38,810.95 and the society is hoping to meet or beat that amount this year.
Multiple sclerosis is an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system. The disease attacks the myelin, which is a protective covering wrapped around the nerves of the central nervous system. In communities across Canada, volunteers and staff provide information, support, educational events and other resources for people with MS and their families. Researchers funded by the MS Society are working to develop new and better treatments and, of course, to find a cure.
Next week, the MS Society Of Canada presents Current and Emerging Therapies in MS, featuring a talk by Dr. Virginia Devonshire, a neurologist with the MS Clinic, on Wednesday, June 11 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Sandman Signature, 2990 Recplace Drive. It's a free presentation for anyone with MS. Attendees must register online at bit.ly/june11ms or call 250-564-7074.
