Job Title: MSC 1505 FY15 SPRING TRIB NLTR Paper/Stock: 60# White OffsetSpecs: 11” x 17” Newsletter (Front and Back Cover) Special Instructions: Folds in half to 8.5” x 11”Colors: PMS 032 and BLACK

TRIB

1505

Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada250 Dundas Street West, 5th floor Toronto, ON M5T 2Z5

We love to hear from you!Contact us: 1-800-268-7582

Email: mslegacy@mssociety.ca Web: www.mslegacy.ca

What do you want your legacyto be?Spring 2015

Advancing research, improving people’s lives

Have you ever wondered what your support really means in the fight against MS? Your support makes an impact today, and looking to the future, your legacy gift can help us make greater gains as we tirelessly advance innovative research and work to improve the quality of life for people battling this debilitating and incurable disease.

Our ultimate goal, of course, is to find a cure.

Consider two individuals who have benefited from your generosity: Brian, who is living with primary progressive MS, and leading researcher Dr. Mark Freedman.

Brian, married and a father of three, was always athletic. When he was 46, he started experiencing numbness and balance problems. Courageously, he tried to fight his way through it, but it kept getting worse. Since being diagnosed in 2005, he has steadily lost function. Today he can’t walk and his arms and hands are increasingly affected.

There’s still no treatment for progressive MS, although therapies for other types of MS can ease symptoms. “Our one hope is research,” Brian said. Noting that MS affects about 100,000 Canadians, he added, “we need help, and we can’t wait five years.”

That’s where scientists like Dr. Freedman

Your Gift Can Impact the Futurecome in. A professor of medicine in the field of neurology at the University of Ottawa and director of the Multiple Sclerosis Research Unit at the Ottawa Hospital, Dr. Freedman is one of two principal investigators of an important new study that will put to test the ability for mesenchymal stem cells to hamper inflammation — and potentially repair nerve tissue and recover neurological function in people with MS.

The unique properties of stem cells make them promising candidates for treatments that can slow MS disease activity and repair tissue damage in the central nervous system. This new investigation, funded by the MS Scientific Research Foundation, A&W Food Services of Canada Inc., and Research Manitoba, seeks to show that mesenchymal stem cell therapy is safe and that it reduces inflammatory activity in people living with MS. In addition, and significantly, it has the potential to lead to nerve tissue repair, which is a novel and vastly unexplored treatment approach that holds great promise for slowing or reversing damage caused by MS.

Currently available therapies reduce relapses and slow progress of the disease, but none successfully fosters repair or regeneration.

This investigation “is where we will really look for the first signs of efficacy,” Dr. Freedman said.

“OUR ONE

IS RESEARCH”

Caption will go here

Continues on page 2

Brian is living with primary progressive MS

EVELYN OPAL SOCIETY INDUCTEES

Arbuthnot Family

Carolyn Fredenburg

Donna McClellan

Kevin Smith

Anonymous

In 1936, just diagnosed with MS, a young and spirited Evelyn Opal rejected the doctor’s advice to “go home and hope for the best.” Instead, she insisted that something more could be done. She rallied support from her family and a small group of dedicated

volunteers, and together they founded the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada.

For more than 40 years, she provided comfort to other Canadians with MS and raised millions of dollars in an effort to move closer to understanding the cause and finding a cure for MS. Evelyn Opal represents the powerful legacy that one person can leave.

We express our deepest thanks to the following supporters, who have made the compassionate choice of committing to a legacy gift. Their vision and generosity will enable us to continue our work to end MS. We welcome these distinguished friends as the newest members of our Evelyn Opal Society.

“ I decided to turn my fear into an act of hope. I made a bequest to make an active contribution towards the future of people who have MS.” Elise Clément

“ I’m getting the benefit from research now, and hopefully our estate can help people down the road.” Marian Vanderwood

“ I named the MS Society as the beneficiary of my life insurance. It’s really quite simple. I pay the premium, the MS Society gets the policy.”

Dr. Edwin Pineau

Dr. Mark Freedman leads an important new stem cell study focused on reducing inflammatory activity in people with MS.

Donors offer their thoughts on legacy giving

Gifts in a will

Gifts of life insurance

Gifts made through an RRIF (Registered Retirement Income Fund)

or RRSP (Registered Retirement

Savings Plan)

The three most popular forms of legacy giving are:

Job Title: MSC 1505 FY15 SPRING TRIB NLTR Paper/Stock: 60# White OffsetSpecs: 11” x 17” Newsletter (Inside Spread) Special Instructions: Folds in half to 8.5” x 11”Colors: PMS 032 and BLACK

This cutting-edge study is considered translational research — an investigation that ushers basic laboratory findings toward effective therapies and other practical applications for people with multiple sclerosis. Such studies can lead to breakthrough treatments, and we at the MS Society of Canada have committed to making them a top priority.

Through legacy giving, you can have a lasting impact on the lives of Canadians living with MS. There are many vehicles to employ such as a gift in your will, a gift of life insurance, or making the MS Society a beneficiary of a Registered Retirement Income Fund (RRIF) or Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP).

Because of friends like you, people living with multiple sclerosis, like Brian, have reason to hope that a cure will be found — and until then, that ever more effective treatments will be developed. And because of friends like you, leading MS researchers like Dr. Mark Freedman can pursue their vital work and move us closer to an answer to this chronic and mysterious disease.

Often when people hear the terms “legacy gift” or “planned giving,” they assume this philanthropic option applies only to the very wealthy. Nothing could be further from the truth. More and more Canadians whose lives have been impacted by multiple sclerosis or who simply care about its effects on their neighbours are including the MS Society in their legacy giving plans.

Bearing in mind that no country has a higher rate of MS than Canada, how can your compassion live on? What will you leave behind?

Legacy giving allows you to leave a gift to the MS Society in the future without significantly affecting your income today. The gift is established now but the MS Society receives it at some point in the future. Giving levels vary widely and depend on personal goals and preferences.

Gifts in a will are the most popular form of legacy gift. Many people choose this option because they know they’ll be helping the MS Society to advance critical research and improve the quality of people’s lives without touching the funds and assets they need today.

Gifts left in a will, also known as “bequests,” can be established easily by contacting your attorney. This option can also result in reduced taxes on your estate, and it offers great flexibility. Such gifts can be for a specific amount, a percentage of the estate or a residual of the estate.

Gifts of life insurance are the second most popular form of legacy gift. Many people don’t realize that you can make the MS Society the owner and beneficiary — or just the beneficiary — of an existing or a new life insurance policy.

In this way, you can leave a sizeable future gift through a small annual gift. This option can also offer tax relief, and it doesn’t reduce the value of your estate for your heirs. Simplifying matters, proceeds are paid directly to the MS Society; they’re not subject to probate and estate fees.

Canadians’ Top 3 Ways to Leave a Legacy Donors’ gifts reflect their values

Paying Tribute to an Inspiration 99 year-old Jessie Lang fights MS in her daughter’s memory

“Forever Wendy” is the name of the MS Walk team that honours Jessie Lang’s daughter Wendy, who lived with MS for 30 years. Through volunteering, advocacy work, philanthropy and many other forms of outreach, Jessie and her daughter, Signy Hansen, have worked tirelessly to ensure that Wendy’s memory lives on.

And now, Jessie has decided to leave a legacy of hope by making a gift to the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada in her will. “My darling daughter had MS, so this disease was close to me. With this gift, I hope to help others,” Jessie said.

A prominent philanthropist and long-time MS Society of Canada board member, Jessie understands that funding innovative research is the only way to find the cause and the cure for this mysterious disease. All too aware that MS is Canada’s disease — no country has a higher rate — she also deeply values the resources and services that we provide to individuals and families living with MS.

Wendy was the inspiration for Jessie’s generous gift (also known as a bequest), but it’s the 100,000 Canadians living with the disease today and those who will develop it in the near future who motivate her to leave a gift that can make a difference in the years, even decades, to come.

Although Wendy faced MS with poise and courage, it was a long and often grueling battle. Jessie Lang has devoted much of her life and a great many resources to raising awareness of MS and helping to fund the fight to end it. She urges others to consider leaving a gift in their will as well. “When you meet people living with MS, you are inspired by them to give.”

To learn more about creating a gift in your will, please call your local Leadership Giving representative at 1-800-268-7582 or go online at MSlegacy.ca.

Gifts made through an RRIF or RRSP, a Registered Retirement Income Fund or Registered Retirement Savings Plan, are also extremely popular and easy to establish. You can name the MS Society as a direct beneficiary for your RRSP, RRIF, or Canada Pension assets and receive tax benefits as a result.

These are the most popular legacy gift options, but they’re not the only ones. Each offers advantages, and your financial planner can advise you on which would best suit you.

When you leave a legacy gift to the MS Society of Canada, you will join an esteemed circle of caring Canadians: the Evelyn Opal Society. Your contribution will support future research breakthroughs and continued excellence in services for people living with MS and their families.

To learn more about the Evelyn Opal Society and leaving a legacy gift to the

MS Society of Canada, kindly contact your local Leadership Giving representative

by calling 1-800-268-7582 or go online at MSlegacy.ca.

Continued from page 1

It’s easy to leave a legacy

to fight MS Many of our friends have made a decision to include the MS Society of Canada in their wills or other legacy gift options to ensure ongoing support for the fight against this disease. If you share this goal, it’s good to know that leaving your own legacy is as simple as 1-2-3.

1. Making or changing a will starts with a call to an attorney. If you don’t know one, ask friends or family members for references. You can also call the local bar association and ask for attorneys who are active in estate planning and probate work. Most law societies provide a lawyer referral service in each province and territory. The Canadian Bar Association provides links to these resources at cba.org.

2. Plan your gift carefully. Most people leave us a dollar amount or a percentage of their estates. Others may leave the “residue” of their estates – the amount remaining after all other gifts have been distributed. If you already have a will, a simple “codicil” (amendment) is often all that’s needed to give to the MS Society of Canada.

3. Please tell us about your new gift. By notifying our office, you’ll give us the opportunity to say a well-deserved “thank you” for your generosity, and assure that your legacy gift will benefit a particular area of interest, if desired.

We will be happy to provide you and your attorney with additional information, including our correct legal name. To get started, you might want to fill out our Will Planning Work Sheet at MSlegacy.ca. It will help you gather the information you need to prepare a will.

You can also leave a legacy to fight MS by naming us as beneficiary of a life insurance policy, an RRIF or RRSP or most kinds of financial accounts. If you have questions or would like additional information, please contact your local Leadership Giving representative by calling 1-800-268-7582 or go online at MSlegacy.ca.

“ With this gift, I hope to help others.”

Job Title: MSC 1505 FY15 SPRING TRIB NLTR Paper/Stock: 60# White OffsetSpecs: 11” x 17” Newsletter (Front and Back Cover) Special Instructions: Folds in half to 8.5” x 11”Colors: PMS 032 and BLACK

TRIB

1505

Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada250 Dundas Street West, 5th floor Toronto, ON M5T 2Z5

We love to hear from you!Contact us: 1-800-268-7582

Email: mslegacy@mssociety.ca Web: www.mslegacy.ca

What do you want your legacyto be?Spring 2015

Advancing research, improving people’s lives

Have you ever wondered what your support really means in the fight against MS? Your support makes an impact today, and looking to the future, your legacy gift can help us make greater gains as we tirelessly advance innovative research and work to improve the quality of life for people battling this debilitating and incurable disease.

Our ultimate goal, of course, is to find a cure.

Consider two individuals who have benefited from your generosity: Brian, who is living with primary progressive MS, and leading researcher Dr. Mark Freedman.

Brian, married and a father of three, was always athletic. When he was 46, he started experiencing numbness and balance problems. Courageously, he tried to fight his way through it, but it kept getting worse. Since being diagnosed in 2005, he has steadily lost function. Today he can’t walk and his arms and hands are increasingly affected.

There’s still no treatment for progressive MS, although therapies for other types of MS can ease symptoms. “Our one hope is research,” Brian said. Noting that MS affects about 100,000 Canadians, he added, “we need help, and we can’t wait five years.”

That’s where scientists like Dr. Freedman

Your Gift Can Impact the Futurecome in. A professor of medicine in the field of neurology at the University of Ottawa and director of the Multiple Sclerosis Research Unit at the Ottawa Hospital, Dr. Freedman is one of two principal investigators of an important new study that will put to test the ability for mesenchymal stem cells to hamper inflammation — and potentially repair nerve tissue and recover neurological function in people with MS.

The unique properties of stem cells make them promising candidates for treatments that can slow MS disease activity and repair tissue damage in the central nervous system. This new investigation, funded by the MS Scientific Research Foundation, A&W Food Services of Canada Inc., and Research Manitoba, seeks to show that mesenchymal stem cell therapy is safe and that it reduces inflammatory activity in people living with MS. In addition, and significantly, it has the potential to lead to nerve tissue repair, which is a novel and vastly unexplored treatment approach that holds great promise for slowing or reversing damage caused by MS.

Currently available therapies reduce relapses and slow progress of the disease, but none successfully fosters repair or regeneration.

This investigation “is where we will really look for the first signs of efficacy,” Dr. Freedman said.

“OUR ONE

IS RESEARCH”

Caption will go here

Continues on page 2

Brian is living with primary progressive MS

EVELYN OPAL SOCIETY INDUCTEES

Arbuthnot Family

Carolyn Fredenburg

Donna McClellan

Kevin Smith

Anonymous

In 1936, just diagnosed with MS, a young and spirited Evelyn Opal rejected the doctor’s advice to “go home and hope for the best.” Instead, she insisted that something more could be done. She rallied support from her family and a small group of dedicated

volunteers, and together they founded the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada.

For more than 40 years, she provided comfort to other Canadians with MS and raised millions of dollars in an effort to move closer to understanding the cause and finding a cure for MS. Evelyn Opal represents the powerful legacy that one person can leave.

We express our deepest thanks to the following supporters, who have made the compassionate choice of committing to a legacy gift. Their vision and generosity will enable us to continue our work to end MS. We welcome these distinguished friends as the newest members of our Evelyn Opal Society.

“ I decided to turn my fear into an act of hope. I made a bequest to make an active contribution towards the future of people who have MS.” Elise Clément

“ I’m getting the benefit from research now, and hopefully our estate can help people down the road.” Marian Vanderwood

“ I named the MS Society as the beneficiary of my life insurance. It’s really quite simple. I pay the premium, the MS Society gets the policy.”

Dr. Edwin Pineau

Dr. Mark Freedman leads an important new stem cell study focused on reducing inflammatory activity in people with MS.

Donors offer their thoughts on legacy giving