The 11th annual Burgers to Beat MS raised nearly $10,000 locally.

More than 970 A&W locations across the country took part in the event last Thursday – which donated $2 from every Teen Burger sold to the MS Society of Canada.

Coordinator for Programs and Services with the MS Society in Fort McMurray Rhonda Robinson tells Mix News our participating locations raised $9,535.65, which will help support the roughly 200 people in our region who are living with the disease.

“As well as to raise money to help find a cure and cause of MS.”

Robinson says basically every person in Fort McMurray with MS has to travel to Edmonton or Calgary for their appointments.

She notes they are working on organizing a local support group, which will advocate and lobby for services to come to Fort McMurray so people won’t have to travel for treatment.

“We will be having some sessions in September to look at what that can look like and then hopefully have some community members step forward to facilitate that group, and moving forward may be able to advocate for some services to come to Fort McMurray in the future.”

She says access to an MS doctor and a neurologist are the biggest needs for our community.

According to the MS Society of Canada, more than 77,000 Canadians are living with and affected by MS.

In 11 years, the annual Burgers to Beat MS campaign has raised more than $15 million, funding world-class MS research, programs and services, and advocacy efforts that aim to improve the quality of life for Canadians living with and affected by the disease.