A young resident of Millet is raising funds to help fight a debilitating disease affecting her life and hundreds of thousands of other lives across the country.
Raven Crane has been living with Multiple Sclerosis since 2014; she was diagnosed after having her daughter. Crane said she never expected to be diagnosed with a serious illness like MS, didn’t know anything about it and has been learning about it ever since.
“It’s really eye-opening when you have it,” she said by phone May 5. She said no one knows how serious this disease can be until you are forced to live with it.
MS is a neurological disease that affects how the nervous system sends and receives signals. It can have a wide range of debilitating effects on sufferers.
Having to live with MS is one thing, but Crane decided to lend her support to the fight to end MS, thus she registered to participate in the Jayman BUILT MS Walk to be held May 28 in Edmonton’s Rossdale Community Field. There is going to be a two kilometer walk and a longer five kilometer walk. Crane said she was hoping to do the five km, but she’s just finished treatment after having a relapse and thinks she better stick to the 2 km.
For the event, Crane formed Team Raven from friends and family, some of whom are collecting donations for Crane and some wanting to walk at her side in the event. Crane said many people she knows have also learned about MS since she was diagnosed with it. “I think a lot of it isn’t necessarily, donations, it’s awareness,” said Crane.
Crane works at the Burger Barn in Millet, located on Hwy #2A, and has put up a poster about her fundraising campaign and said the visibility has made a difference. Crane noted donations to the event of more than $20 receive a tax deductible receipt if the donor wishes, and funds go toward the MS Society efforts at research, advocacy, programs and services.
Donations can be made at the Burger Barn, or online at www.mswalk.ca under “Raven Crane.”
Crane noted she would be grateful for a donation of any size, even $2. “I want to thank everyone for their support,” she added.