Welcome to 2021. I think it’s safe to say we’re all looking forward to the fresh start and renewed possibilities that this year will bring.
I want to take this opportunity to thank you for your support of the Canadian neuromuscular community in 2020. It was a challenging year for all, but your support directly impacted thousands of families and individuals across the country. Your donations funded access to treatments, programs and services and ground-breaking research.
For instance, you’re helping ensure early screening and treatment is available regardless of where you live. Thanks to the support of donors like you, babies and families across the country are a step closer to early diagnosis and treatment. We’re very excited to embark on a nation-wide newborn screening collaboration in 2021 to fuel the goal of making newborn screening for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) a reality.
Also because of you, individuals affected by neuromuscular disorders stayed connected with their community, and were provided knowledgeable advice from experts in the health and medical fields during the pandemic. Your support allowed us to offer network meetings and educational webinars, virtually, so individuals could participate from the safety of their homes.
Donors, like you, also played a vital role in keeping families together over the holidays. A research project you funded, A Virtual Transition Intervention for Children and Adults Transitioning To Home Ventilation, brought complex ventilator support into homes virtually. Individuals requiring ventilators to help with breathing make frequent visits to hospitals for specialized care and to ensure their equipment is working properly. This year, given these individuals are at a high risk for respiratory illness it was more important than ever that they stay at home with close family and friends. Thanks to your support of this research project, a virtual support program was piloted to bring medical experts into the homes of these individuals, reducing the need for hospital visits and possible exposure to COVID.
When we work together, we can truly accomplish incredible things.
That’s why I’m reaching out to you today. Will you renew your commitment to the neuromuscular community in 2021 by making a donation to MDC? Your gift will mean more investments in research, life-changing partnerships and continued support for individuals and families regardless of where they live.
The beginning of a new year is also the perfect time to become a monthly donor. Monthly donations support long-term projects and initiatives. They keep vital programs and services going all year long and ensure that critical advocacy efforts can continue to make positive changes for our community. The pandemic has underscored the vital importance of each and every donor and a sustainable monthly gift provides certainty for our ongoing work.
I know with your renewed support, we can continue to make meaningful changes, invest in research and form valuable partnerships that support Canadians affected by neuromuscular disorders.
Partnerships, such as the one with Thames Valley Neuromuscular Clinic where a pilot program is helping pediatric patients and their families make informed decisions throughout the care journey to alleviate some of the fear and stress these parents often experience. Your donations are also behind our Systems Navigation program, which helps Canadians with all areas of their non-medical needs. This past year, your gifts ensured MDC was able to continue funding critical equipment for individuals impacted by a neuromuscular disorder despite a drastic reduction in fundraising revenue.
MDC is the only national charity that supports Canadians with a wide range of neuromuscular disorders across the country, but we can’t do it without you. The impact you are having on the neuromuscular community is profound.
I hope we can count on you to renew your support today by making a donation.
Again, thank you for your support in 2020 and I look forward to working with you to continue changing lives in 2021. Because, like us, I know you too are ignited by passion and fuelled by hope.
Warm regards,
Stacey Lintern
CEO, Muscular Dystrophy Canada
P.S. Our new year appeal is one of our most important. Donations from supportive Canadians like you are put to work right away to support families and to fund research. While hope is renewed with the recent COVID vaccine, charities like ours continue to be impacted by its effect on our traditional fundraising activities and the economic realities for so many. We hope you can continue your support for 2021.
