Dorchester, Ont. man close to raising $1M to support people with multiple sclerosis
A man from Dorchester has been making it his life's work to raise money for people struggling with multiple sclerosis, a disease he lost his sister to in 2018.
She is the inspiration behind Barry Travnicek’s continued hard work to fundraise for the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada.
“I said to myself, 'I’m not a doctor, I’m not a scientist but I can raise some money,'” he told CTV News London on Friday.
After 33 years Travnicek could soon reach a milestone of raising a total of $1-million to help people with MS.
Multiple sclerosis is a chronic disease that attacks the central nervous system, impacting the brain and spinal cord. Symptoms can range from numbness, memory problems, pain, fatigue and paralysis, according to the MS Society.
“This started in 1991. My brother-in-law gave me a call and said, ‘Your sister has MS.’ I said, ‘What is it and how do we fix it?’ I found out so much more in the first couple of years, that at the time not a lot of treatments were available,” he said.
That’s when Barry began his journey, cycling for the MS bike event where he initially raised $75,000. He has continued participating in the fundraiser every year since then.
Every Friday Travnicek holds a 50/50 draw at the Eastside Bar & Grill in London to raise money for the MS society of Canada, which relies on funding for programs to assist patients in addition to helping researchers find a cause and cure.
“He is part of the family here now at the Eastside Bar & Grill,” said owner George Karigan.
For several years the MS Society has been working with Travnicek to generate fundraising efforts at the bar.
“The community has been huge. They are very generous people and I think as much as Barry’s cause is with MS, it became our cause too so we’ve been more than happy to do that for him, it’s been a privilege,” he said.
“He is such an inspiration,” said Melissa McLeod, manager of community volunteer experience team, MS Society of Canada. “Just to see his dedication to the cause to come out here every Friday night he does not miss a week. It’s inspiring to us and the entire MS community.”
But the fight isn’t over, as Barry hopes to reach his goal of raising a total of 1-million by the end of the year.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
U.S. paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says
The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against the wishes of the U.S.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.