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.