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The Event

UPDATE (11pm 15-Mar-2013) - The Race is On, Event Organisers will reassess at 7am tomorrow morning.

Paddle to Battle MS 2013 is a Stand Up Paddle (SUP) event to be held on Saturday 16th March 2013 at Collaroy Beach, on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. This sport has a high profile not only along the Northern Beaches but also across broader Australian and Hawaiian communities.

The race involves competitor’s paddling around a set course marked by buoys.  The races will start and finish on the sands of Collaroy Beach.   The categories of the event will include open men’s and women’s, master men’s and women’s and under 18’s categories, and is the first time this type of race format will be available in Sydney.

This safe, family and community event will have raffles and sausage sizzle on offer throughout the day. Presentations of the winners will be held in the afternoon, along with a grand finale auction. The highly sought after Naish Nalu 10’6”.5 GT Stand Up Paddle Board (wood veneer) & Naish Makani Adjustable Paddle signed by Number One World Series 2012 champion Kai Lenny are just one of the items available and will certainly charge interest and much needed funding.

Foundation 5 Million Plus (F5m+)

Foundation 5 Million Plus (F5m+) is the community fundraising initiative of Multiple Sclerosis Research Australia (MSRA). The brainchild of the late Ian Ballard, F5m+ comprises of volunteers living with multiple sclerosis, their families and friends raising funds to find the cure for this debilitating disease. One of F5m+’s fundraisers this year is the Paddle to Battle MS 2013.

What sets F5m+ apart from most other charities is that a dedicated team of volunteers contribute their time and energy, ensuring every dollar raised at F5m+ fundraising events is placed into research. Having raised over $6.5 million since the launch seven years ago, F5m+ is making a significant contribution to MS research in Australia and is also contributing to the effort worldwide. MSRA focuses on Australia’s strengths in research and encourages collaborations within Australia and globally.  

Multiple sclerosis is the most common neurological disease affecting young Australians. It is a condition that debilitates many young adults in their prime and for the rest of their lives. There are over 23,000 people living with MS in Australia and five more people are diagnosed every working day.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease that attacks the central nervous system (the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves). The progress, severity and specific symptoms of MS cannot be predicted. MS is a lifelong disease for which a cause and cure are yet to be found. However, doctors and scientists are making discoveries about the treatment and management of MS every day. 

General Facts

Statistics show that 1 in 20 Australians will be touched by MS through a family member, colleague or friend who is living with the disease. 

It is estimated that over 23,000 people in Australia have MS.

An additional 1,000 Australians are diagnosed with MS every year, equating to approximately four people every working day. 

2.5 million people are living with MS worldwide.³

MS is the most common disease of the central nervous system in young adults. 

Diagnosis of MS is typically between 20 and 40 years of age, although onset of symptoms may be earlier.²

Females are more likely to report having MS than males, with an estimated three quarters of all people with the condition being female.¹

Common Symptoms

No two cases of MS are identical. The visible and hidden symptoms of MS are unpredictable and can vary from person to person as well as from time to time in the same person.  Common symptoms can include: 

Extreme tiredness (unusual fatigue). 

Difficulties with walking, balance or coordination.

Dizziness and vertigo.

Sensitivity to heat and/or cold.

Bladder and bowel changes.

Slurring or slowing of speech.

Visual disturbance, such as blurred or double vision.

Altered muscle tone, such as muscle weakness, tremor, stiffness or spasms.

Altered sensation, such as tingling, numbness or pins and needles.

Pain.

Emotional and mood changes.

Changes in memory, concentration or reasoning.

Economic & Personal Cost

MS is estimated to cost Australia over $1 billion each year. 

Loss of productivity because of MS costs $494 million per year.⁴

Australians with MS spend $78 million per year in out of pocket health care expenses.⁴

The care provided by family and other informal carers to Australians with MS would cost $145 million per year to replace.⁴

Of the people with MS, 15,800 (66.7%) needed assistance with at least one of the ten everyday activities considered in the 2009 Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (SDAC). Notably, 46% of people with MS needed assistance with mobility tasks. 

50–80% of people with MS cease to work full-time within 10 years of diagnosis. 

Of the 20,400 people with MS aged 15–64 years, an estimated 9,800 were employed, with 5,900 of those people being employed part-time.  

People with MS have a 30% higher representation in part-time employment, compared to the average Australian. 

In 2005, 52% of people with MS had an annual income below $26,000, or less than $500 per week. 

People with MS are less likely to be in paid employment compared to those with other chronic diseases.