Did you know that one delicious Teen Burger can help change lives and fund multiple sclerosis (MS) research and support programs that have a direct impact on Canadians living with MS?
Well, it can! A&W’s 16th annual Burgers to Beat MS Day will take place on August 22, where $2 from every A&W Teen Burger sold across Canada will go towards helping Canadians affected by MS.
MS is a neurological disease that affects the brain and spinal cord, and can cause muscle weakness, vision changes, numbness, and memory issues. Canada has one of the highest rates of MS in the world, with more than 90,000 people currently living with MS and 12 more being diagnosed each day. It is the most common neurological disease affecting young adults in Canada.
With your help, A&W has raised over $20 million in support of MS Canada since the first Burgers to Beat MS started 16 years ago. These funds are critical for helping MS Canada offer programs that support the MS community, fund research aimed at answering the most challenging questions about MS, and help us get one step closer to a world free of MS.
Lizelle’s story
Lizelle Mendoza is a nurse and mother who lives in Winnipeg. She also lives with MS. Mendoza began experiencing symptoms when she was 12 but wasn’t diagnosed for another six years. “At first, doctors didn’t see it as MS,” Mendoza tells Daily Hive. “All they saw were symptoms.”
At that time, Mendoza was told that MS was a disability, that she would never have children, and would likely be in a wheelchair by the time she was 25.
When she proved both of those predictions wrong, she adopted an optimistic outlook and became involved with the MS community to help others on their unique MS journey and find the sense of connection she once lacked.
“I never really thought having a support system was a big deal. Growing up we didn’t really discuss feelings very much, [so] I kept things to myself. But then I became more involved with the MS community and suddenly I had support groups, which helped a lot when I decided to really open up to my brother, and then the rest of the family. It was such a weight off my shoulders.”
Through MS Canada, Mendoza has made lifelong friends and a valuable support system thanks to cutting-edge research and support programs that provide a better understanding of the disease and improved treatment and care.
Now, as an MS Canada Ambassador, she’s travelled the country and shared her stories with schools, businesses, and government representatives who have the power to affect change for people living with disabilities.
Raising funds and awareness
While Mendoza has come a long way on her MS journey, she notes that there’s still a lot of stigma and misinformation surrounding the disease.
“A lot of people say, ‘How do you have MS? You don’t look like you have it’ which used to be my biggest pet peeve, but I learned to take pride in it. People don’t realize it’s a neurological disease.”
The Burgers to Beat MS campaign is a great opportunity to learn about the realities of living with MS while raising critical funds for research and support programs.
After all, the MS community isn’t exclusive to only those diagnosed with the disease. It’s also for the communities of those affected by it — like friends and family — to get involved and participate in fundraising events, advocate for disability equity, and of course, order a Teen Burger on August 22.
“A&W Burgers to Beat MS was a campaign I was instantly drawn to, and my friends and I have been supporting the A&W Burgers to Beat MS program since 2012!” says Mendoza. “We look forward to it every year.”
And donations aren’t limited to only August 22. In the lead-up to Burgers to Beat MS Day, supporters can participate by rounding up any purchase at an A&W restaurant, donating through the A&W App or burgerstobeatms.com, or by selecting donation options in the A&W menu list on third-party apps like Door Dash, UberEats and SkipTheDishes.
With over 1,000 A&W locations across Canada, there’s no shortage of opportunities to drop by with your burger family — whether it’s the family you were born with or the one you choose — and help end MS. Visit an A&W near you on August 22 to enjoy a Teen Burger while contributing to a great cause.
Burgers to Beat MS
When: Thursday, August 22, 2024
Where: A&W locations across Canada