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King Weekly Sentinel https://kingsentinel.com/?p=4610 Export date: Thu Nov 21 12:16:06 2024 / +0000 GMT |
King City resident Amanda Piron making huge impact in A&W’s Cruisin’ to End MS Amanda Piron took part in the A&W Cruisin' to End MS campaign. She's seen with the A&W Root Bear. By Brittany Spencer People from across Canada came together Aug. 21 with high energies and healthy appetites to support A&W's annual Cruisin' to End MS Day as restaurants donated $1 from every Teen Burger sold to the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada. Among this year's key campaign advocates was King City resident Amanda Piron, an inspiring mentor, volunteer and committed supporter for youth living with MS. Piron was diagnosed with MS just two days before her 17th birthday and today, at 24 years old, she stands as a role model and proof that with a positive perspective anything can be accomplished. Only a year after her diagnosis Piron decided that she would use her experience as an opportunity to reach out to those with MS to offer support and extend awareness about the disease. She began speaking at a local read-a-thon, specifically to young people within the community to share her story and inspire others to do so as well. “I noticed there weren't a lot of younger people talking about having MS,” said Piron. “And I can understand why – it's hard enough to be a teenager and even more so when you add something like MS to the picture. I thought maybe speaking out could be a way I can really help people.” In 2010, Piron started speaking about MS at the MS Society of Canada's head office in Toronto where she met other representatives from the organization's national and international chapters. It was at this time that she was approached by corporate partners at A&W and asked to become the first MS Society Ambassador for the A&W Cruisin' to End MS national campaign. During its first year, Piron travelled across four provinces with the campaign, which raised more than $750,000. Since 2010, A&W's Cruisin' to End MS has raised more than $5 million toward MS research and treatment development, and has grown into a broad network of provincial and municipal campaign branches across Canada. During this year's campaign, Piron and a team of advocates from the MS Society travelled to A&W restaurants in Hamilton, Kitchener, and Mississauga, speaking with employees and thousands of patrons who came to support the cause. The campaign even garnered the support of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who made a stop at an A&W in Whitehorse, Yukon, to enjoy a Teen Burger and tweet a photo with the location's employees. “MS affects over 100,000 people in Canada, and as a country, we have the highest rate of MS in the world. But this doesn't mean that everybody knows somebody with MS, or about it at all. I use the campaign as a chance to talk to people and ask them if they know anyone, or anything, about MS, and if not, say ‘Hi! I'm Amanda!'” Apart from the campaign, Piron is also heavily involved with other programs developed by the MS Society, including MS Summer Camp at Easter Seals Camp Merrywood, where Piron volunteers as a peer support counsellor. She is also a member of the MS Youth Advisory Group, a national committee aimed at raising awareness and creating a sense of community and support for young people that are touched by MS. “I like to think of myself as an ambassador for all the kids and teens that live with MS. Sometimes you're the only person in your town, or county, who is your age and lives with the disease. It's really the isolation and loneliness that gets to young people the most, so I like to make myself available as a peer support and give them chance to talk about what their going through.” In addition to all the work Piron has done with the MS Society of Canada she has also completed a theatre degree from the University of Toronto, an acting diploma from Sheridan Collage as well as a Bachelor of Education from York University. Due to medication and treatments Piron is now living “walker-free” and proudly said, “this would not be possible without the MS Society.” “The MS Society has given me a chance to tell my story, and the more I tell it, the less scary it becomes. I'm so much more confident than I ever would have been if I didn't have the chance to advocate. They are a continuing support engine for everyone who lives with an is affected by MS.” |
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Post date: 2014-08-26 16:31:50 Post date GMT: 2014-08-26 20:31:50 Post modified date: 2014-10-21 16:18:04 Post modified date GMT: 2014-10-21 20:18:04 |
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