Photo: Cindy White

The finish line for the 2024 MS Walk, which was held in Peachland.

It’s been three years since friends Dave Scruton and Brian Jamieson revived the MS Walk in the Kelowna area and this year there’s a new impetus to keep raising money for research into the disease.

Scuton’s adult son was diagnosed with MS about eight years ago. Jamieson got involved because his wife has MS.

Scruton is excited about a recent discovery and plans to share more information during the Central Okanagan MS Walk in West Kelowna on Saturday.

“Two American scientists, one from Harvard and one from I believe Stanford, are co-winners of a $3 million prize which has changed the understanding of MS. They have found through research that people who have experienced mononucleosis, which is the Epstein-Barr virus, are 32 times more likely to get MS.”

The study, published in Live Science last week appears to refute previous beliefs that T-cells were responsible for the disease. Scruton calls it paradigm shifting.

“I think this is amazing,” he said.

“The scientists are hoping that in future, MS prevention will be somewhat like shingles, in that people that had chicken pox, can develop into shingles later in life. They believe the Epstein-Barr virus has that virtual effect of causing MS and if they can determine a vaccine for Epstein-Barr virus, that those people could likely avoid the chance of MS later in life.”

The Central Okanagan MS Walk is scheduled for Saturday, May 24 at Gellatly Nut Farm.

Registration begins at 9 a.m.. It will be followed by speeches from local dignitaries and then participants will head out on either a 4 km route along Gellatly Bay or a 2 km route along Whitworth Road near Pebble Beach.

So far, more than 70 people, including 14 teams, have registered.

“We’ve already raised almost $15,000 of the $19,000 goal,” said Scruton. “So, I’m optimistic we will probably beat the goal this year.”

Nationwide, the goal is $4 million and more than $2,4 million has been raised thus far.

The Central Okanagan MS Walk rotates among different locations from year to year. Last year it was in Peachland.

Photo: Dave Scruton

Dave Scruton (left) and Brian Jamieson (right), organizers of the Central Okanagan MS Walk.