Jane Greshuk never thought she would be nominated for the MS Society’s Mother of the Year.
Doctors diagnosed the mother of three with Multiple sclerosis around 1999 when she started noticing symptoms. She lost sight in her right eye for a period and hasn’t let the fact that she has MS stop her from doing what she wants to do.
Greshuk has spent the last two years volunteering at the MS Society’s 50/50 ticket draw and was recognized as the one who sold more than half of the tickets raising $6,500.
Having been nominated Mother of the Year, she said she’s honoured to have that kind of recognition.
“It’s such an honour,” Greshuk said. “I just do this because I love selling the tickets so I never thought I would be nominated. It’s just fun talking to everybody and it’s a great time. We’re all working for the same goal.”
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Honourary Chair Pat Lang announced Greshuk as the Mother of the Year nominee at city hall on Tuesday. She said Greshuk was chosen because she had MS and showed extra effort to make the lives of others better.
Lang said the society is a victim of their own success in that as they become more well-known those who have MS are using their services more and more. With this increase in patients using their equipment, she said the society could be $25,000 short this year.
“The money that we raise and the majority that stays here in the city except what goes toward supporting research,” Lang said. “We use that money to provide equipment for people who can’t afford it on their own. There’s such demand in the city that if it continues at the rate it is right now this year we`ll be out $25,000 short in terms of meeting that demand. The service we’re providing is equipment.
“There isn’t enough funding out there for people that can afford to buy all that equipment on their own.”
Lang said if people would like to help they can do so by participating in the upcoming events.
The upcoming events include the Carnation Campaign on May 10, 11 and 12 and the annual MS Walk on May 27.
Bouquets of carnations are $8 or two for $15 and are available at displays in Intercity Shopping Centre, the Superstore and outside LCBO and Beer Store locations.
Registration for the walk starts at 9 a.m. with the 10-kilometre walk starting at 10:30 a.m.
