Young readers in Louth prepare as 31st MS Readathon approaches

As the MS Readathon enters a new era with the 31st annual campaign approaching, Multiple Sclerosis Ireland is thanking the young readers in County Louth who took part last year in the sponsored reading initiative to raise funds for vital services supporting people with Multiple Sclerosis.

Young readers in County Louth joined almost 10,000 students across Ireland in the MS Readathon.

The 31st MS Readathon 2018 will open for sign up in September, ahead of the reading month which will run from 12 October  until 12 November 2018.

Please visit www.msreadathon.ie to find out more. MS Ireland encourages schools and individual readers at home to sign up and make this new era in MS Readathon another great success.

 Ava Battles, Chief Executive of MS Ireland, expresses gratitude on behalf of the MS community, for the efforts of young readers in County Louth, commenting:

“The MS Readathon has now reached its 31st year marking a new era for the sponsored reading initiative.

"This is supported by students, teachers and families locally as well as our libraries and bookshops.

"The 31st MS Readathon will again encourage children to read while also raising vital funds to help people living with Multiple Sclerosis and their families.”

Ireland’s authors and illustrators are great supporters of the MS Readathon each year. They include Sarah Webb, Cecelia Ahern, Oisin McGann, PJ Lynch, Nicola Pierce, Judi Curtin, Alan Early, Matt Griffin, Sheila O’Flanagan, Claudia Carroll, Marisa Mackle, and Pauline McLynn. They will share their advice on reading during the campaign.

MS Readathon’s story began in 1988 when the well-loved children’s author Roald Dahl launched the first ever campaign.

More than 9,000 people are living with MS in Ireland, with thousands more family members affected. Multiple Sclerosis, meaning ‘many scars’, is the most common neurological disease of young adults in Ireland.

MS affects the motor, sensory and cognitive functioning of the body and is usually diagnosed between 20 and 40 years of age. 

There is currently no known cause or cure for the condition. MS symptoms include impaired mobility and vision, severe fatigue and cognitive difficulties. Three times more women than men are diagnosed with MS.

Multiple Sclerosis Ireland is the only national services, information and advocacy organisation supporting people with MS and their families.

Funds raised by young readers around the country directly support vital services, for example the MS Ireland Information Line, enabling one-to-one support for those newly diagnosed, physiotherapy and exercise classes to help people with MS remain independent, and respite care.

To increase awareness about Multiple Sclerosis for young readers, MS schools ambassadors, people living with MS visit their local schools and talk about the complexity of the condition and the nature of relapses, or attacks when MS symptoms flare up.

Young readers can get their reading lists ready by checking the 2018 lists on www.msreadathon.ie featuring great books for kids from the new to the classics.

For participating schools around the country, the 31st MS Readathon will provide:

• Information leaflets, stickers and posters for each class
• A reading certificate for each participant
• Many fantastic rewards and prize draws
• Up to 10 per cent of funds raised by each participating school may go towards the individual school

Here are the contact details to get involved with the 31st MS Readathon 2018:

Telephone: 01 678 1600

Email: read@msreadathon.ie

Visit:  www.msreadathon.ie

For more information on MS and MS Ireland, visit www.ms-society.ie, call the information line on 1850 233 233 or email info@ms-society.ie.