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Imagine chronically-ill individuals with Multiple Sclerosis having to rally, lobby, beg and plead for a procedure available in Canada to those who do not have the label ‘MS’.
Many MS-Sufferers are bedridden or homebound, and unable to attend this rally.
Fellow Canadians, PLEASE join us and be their voices. Thank you.
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Dr. Brian Hardy, an interventional radiologist spoke in Dec 2009 at a webconference, indicating that balloon angioplasty performed on jugular veins is pretty routine - see video linked below at about 5 minutes in... http://tinyurl.com/6bx5pbz
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"For no other reason than their MS they will be deprived of a simple, straightforward procedure that might actually help them."
~~ Dr. Sandy MacDonald, MD
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MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS (MS)
GLOBAL CCSVI DAY RALLY FOR RIGHTS
"When they came for me, there was no one left to speak out."~~ Pastor Martin Niemöller (1892-1984)*
Rallies are being held across Canada on May 5, 2011, International CCSVI Day. Please attend a rally near you. The rallies are organized by and for MS sufferers who are fighting for their lives and the lives of their families. The rallies are intended to focus the attention of policy makers and the public on the discrimination to which MS sufferers are subjected in Canada .
Canadian MS sufferers are denied access to testing and treatment for a vascular condition (Chronic Cerebrospinal Venous Insufficiency or CCSVI) that exists in the majority of MS sufferers. The treatment is low-risk balloon angioplasty that is performed daily in Canada and around the world to correct venous abnormalities. CCSVI refers to jugular and azygous veins that drain the blood from the brain but that in MS sufferers are restricted so that blood flow to the heart is slowed, if not stopped, and then flows back into the brain. Blood seeps from small, weak veins leaving deposits of blood which contains iron. Plaque that is detected with an MRI and that is associated with MS is found around those small veins. Iron is toxic and may be instrumental in initiating the immune system attacks that are associated with MS.
Multiple sclerosis has a vascular component and an autoimmune component. The vascular component was first noticed in 1839. MS Neurologists maintain that MS is strictly an autoimmune disease. To date, the autoimmune theory remains unproven; there is no definitive test to diagnose MS; there is no cure for MS and, to date, there is no effective drug treatment that relieves symptoms for all sufferers or that slows the progression of MS.
Over 12,000 MS sufferers have been treated worldwide for CCSVI. The CCSVI theory and the low risk balloon angioplasty treatment is the only hope that MS sufferers have. Canadian MS sufferers are forced to travel outside the country to realize that hope. Unfortunately, the MS Society has undue influence with federal and provincial health policy makers and, also unfortunately, the MS Society is the biggest obstacle Canadian MS sufferers must overcome in their battle for the rights supposedly guaranteed to them under the Charter of Rights. Consequently, the MS Society does not speak for us.
CCSVI is a condition with an approved treatment... a treatment that is being denied to people who also suffer from MS. We are fighting for the basic Canadian right to healthcare. It is unconscionable that Canadians with MS are being denied this simple and safe treatment.
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PRESS RELEASE:
Canadians with MS Rally for Health – Again!
Demonstrations are planned May 5th, 2011 across the country to highlight the cruel and unfair treatment that Canadians with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) are receiving from their governments. Demonstrators are demanding access in Canada to a simple and safe angioplasty treatment that may alleviate some of their debilitating symptoms.
Rough estimates suggest that $50 million to date have been spent out of the country by patients who are seeking to correct their Chronic Cerebral-spinal Venous Insufficiency (CCSVI), a condition recognized internationally by vascular experts. Further to this, a great majority of those who receive the treatment are showing improvements of their symptoms.
“There is no logical reason to deny access to this simple and safe procedure,” says Wendy Ireland, organizer of the CCSVI Rally for Rights. “When you have no other options except further disability or death, it’s unconscionable that our political leaders aren’t doing more to help us.”
The angioplasty procedure in question has been proven safe in two different studies (Simka, 2010 & Mondato, 2011). Further, the Buffalo Neuroimaging Analysis Centre confirmed April 7, 2011 that 62.5% of MS patients had CCSVI.
“Given these new findings, we need action from our governments now. We cannot continue waiting for the results of studies from the MS Society that won’t be relevant to the lives of Canadians with MS,” says Ireland .
The CCSVI Rally for Rights is designed to give voices to those who are fighting for their lives and the lives of their family members. For further information, visit us at www.rallyonthehill.ca.
~~ Wendy Ireland
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*The entire poem as attributed to Pastor Martin Niemöller (1892-1984)
When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.
When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.
When they came for the trade uni0nists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade uni0nist.
When they came for the Jews,
I remained silent;
I wasn't a Jew.
When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out.
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You may not be an MS-Sufferer.
Please do not let that stop you from speaking out on our behalf.
Please join us on May 5th, and help stop the discrimination against Canadians with MS. Thank you.
For more information on the Queen's Park Rally, please contact organizer Anna Delorme on Facebook.
Driving Directions
From Hwy. 401: Exit at Avenue Road (Exit 367). Continue South - follow signs indicating 11A. Avenue Rd. becomes Queen's Park Crescent south of Bloor St .
From QEW / Gardiner Expressway: Exit at York St. Continue north at Front St., veer left onto University Ave. University Ave. leads directly to Queen's Park.
From the Don Valley Expressway: Follow Bloor/Bayview exit. Follow exit to Bloor St. Turn right onto Bloor St. and continue to Avenue Rd./Queen's Park intersection. Turn left and continue south.
Parking
Public parking is not permitted on the grounds of the Legislative Building . Street parking is located on streets adjacent to the building, and public parking lots are available within a 10 minute walk of the Legislative Assembly (Please note that parking fees may range from $5 to $20).
Taking Public Transit
Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) 416-393-4636
Several public transportation routes operated by the Toronto Transit Commission (External Site) conveniently pass next to the Legislative Building . http://www3.ttc.ca/
For subway access, you can take the subway to either Queen's Park station or Museum Station on the University section of the Yonge - University - Spadina subway line.
For surface routes, choose the 506 streetcar that runs east and west along College St. and passes immediately south of the building. The Avenue Road #5 bus runs down Avenue Rd. from the Eglinton subway station and loops at the lower end of Queen's Park Cr., right across from the front of the building.
GO Train 416-869-3200
GO Train commuter service (External Site) from outside of Toronto operates conveniently to uni0n Station. The train station is connected to subway service. http://www.gotransit.com/publicroot/en/default.aspx
The link does not work..just says page not found, so I appreciate your taking the time to cut and paste the info.
Hope you are feeling better soon. Please take good care of yourself.
Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2011 7:03 am
by Chrystal
Hello Brightspot!
Sorry about that link - don't know what went wrong.
To find the CCSVI Rally in a city nearest you, people can visit this site and then click on the city they are interested in...that's how I accessed the Vancouver Rally info.:
I hope you guys (Canadians) can get a great turnout for this. Canada seems to be ground zero for MS so if you can make some headway with the Liberation Procedure for CCSVI then it will be good for the USA, the UK and other countries too.
WeWillBeatMS
Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2011 2:20 pm
by Chrystal
I hope and pray for the same thing, WeWillBeatMS!!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Bus Charters Outside of Toronto For those outside of Toronto
This is a possbility that hasl been posted since April 17 in a few places. Routes are almost full but spaces still remain as no one should miss this event and every opportunity be available.
ccsvitorontobus@gmail.com is the email to contact as a final itinerary should be released tomorrow as advance reservations have been made.
Jamie
Toronto CCSVI Rally - Possible Charter Bus Routes
To all who are interested this is the preliminary Itinerary for cities that have shown interest in using this idea as an option for transportation of attending the rally at Queen's Park in Toronto on May 5 2011. I have created possible times and pick up locations if it warrants to go ahead with reserving Motor Coaches of different sizes of capacity.
If 1 of the proposed itinerary's interest you please send an email to ccsvitorontobus@gmail.com with your choice of itinerary and a reply will be sent to you with further information, details and any other questions you may have.
Remember this information is still preliminary and every response matters BEFORE April 26, 2011 as this is the deadline to reserve transportation in a group mode kind of way that personally would be a lot of fun meeting and sharing time with so many that you have seen in Cyberspace ahead of the rally.
CCSVI Rally - Queen's Park - May 5, 2011, Noon - 3:00 p.m.
Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2011 7:46 pm
by Chrystal
PLEASE NOTE:
THE RALLY TIME HAS BEEN EXTENDED, AND IS NOW FROM 12:00 NOON - 3:00 P.M.
GLOBAL CCSVI DAY RALLY FOR RIGHTS
STOP THE DISCRIMINATION
AGAINST MS SUFFERERS
THURSDAY, MAY 5, 2011
12:00 NOON - 3:00 P.M.
QUEEN'S PARK, TORONTO
Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2011 10:05 pm
by Chrystal
**UPDATE: COACHES-QUEEN'S PARK RALLY**
Toronto CCSVI Rally - Motor Coaches Itinerary
Bus #1
9:30 A.M. Hwy 400 Exit 55 at Hwy 9
Carpool Lot SW corner of Hwy 400 & Hwy 9 (no Washrooms)
10:00 A.M. Departure
Washroom break at 10:30 A.M.
Drop off at Queen's Park 11:30 A.M.
Bus #1
Return 3:00 P.M. load Coach
Washroom break at 4::30 P.M.
Arrive carpool lot 5:00 P.M.
Bus #2
9:00 A.M. Brantford (Washrooms available)
Exit 38 Wayne Gretzky Pkwy from Hwy 403
McDonald's parking lot parking for 8-10 vehicles confirmed by Shift Manager.
9:30 A.M. Hamilton
Exit 64 from Hwy 403 Golf Links Rd. at Zellers parking lot (Washrooms available)
10:00 A.M. Burlington
Alsershot/Waterdown Go Commuter parking lot on Hwy 403
11:30 A.M. Arrive at Queen's Park Toronto
Bus #2
Return 3:00 P.M. - load Coach
4:30 P.M. Burlington
Aldershot/Waterdown Go Commuter parking lot on Hwy 403
5:00 P.M. Hamilton
Exit 64 From Hwy 403 Golf Links Rd. Zellers parking lot (Washrooms available)
5:30 P.M. Exit 38 Brantford Wayne Gretzky Pkwy from Hwy 403 (Washrooms Available)
McDonald's parking lot parking for 8-10 vehicles confirmed by Shift Manager.
Keep in mind this is the final Itinerary and you MUST be confirmed by email for your seat.
Payment will be made prior to boarding.
Please email ccsvitorontobus@gmail.com should you have any questions and I will reply as best I can.
Bus #1 is sold out. Bus #2 has a few seats available.
Thanks again for all the interest and for those that have been reserved this will be a day to be remembered for a lifetime as you will meet so many that you have only seen via cyberspace and we all share the same passion that will be present May 5th.
Jamie
Posted: Thu Apr 28, 2011 8:42 am
by WeWillBeatMS
I would like to encourage people that live in the U.S. close to Canada to head over and support our neighbors to the north. We're all in this together.
WeWillBeatMS
Posted: Sun May 01, 2011 5:38 pm
by Chrystal
WeWillBeatMS - thank you so much for encouraging Americans living close to Canada to support the May 5th CCSVI Rallies in Canada!!
Take care and keep wonderfully.
Chrystal
Posted: Tue May 03, 2011 12:51 pm
by Chrystal
CCSVI Liberation Day Canada - May 5th, by CCSVI in MS Toronto
May 5th is going to be a very special day in Canada. From coast to coast, so many will come together to help raise awareness of CCSVI. It will be made clear to all who listen, that Canadians can have any blood flow problem treated, unless you are wearing an MS arm band.
The roadblocks should not exist. There is no reason for them to exist. They will not exist. It's time for these discriminatory arm bands to be burned. One by one, in every Province.
Collectively we share real research, point out cases of willful ignorance from those who live off MS, and show the clear benefits of a simple angioplasty treatment, using these modern social media tools.
"We've entered an age of patient advocacy unlike any that has been seen before, and those to whom fate has in the past been dictated now have a voice to shout back with, and an understanding that the status quo is simply unacceptable. Without hysterics, but in a steady and rising crescendo, we must insist that new ideas be taken seriously, and demand that the vested interests of those who have profited from our collective misery not hold sway any longer." ~ Wheelchair Kamikaze
May 5th we will make history again. We can come together as one, to make our voices heard loud and clear, from coast to coast.
Your voice can make a difference too. Please join us.