Muscular Dystrophy Canada celebrates 70-year fire fighter partnership with fundraising challenge

70 years ago, Muscular Dystrophy Canada was founded. IAFF affiliates in Canada continue to serve its original mission of combating neuromuscular disease to this day.

July 15 • 2024

In 1954, a Toronto doctor whose son was affected by a neuromuscular disorder approached the city’s fire fighters about raising funds to help combat the disease through a new charity he co-founded, Muscular Dystrophy Canada.

Seventy years later, IAFF affiliates across Canada still hold Dr. David Green’s charity and its mission close to their hearts, having raised millions to support its programs and research with boot drives, rooftop campouts and other unique fundraising initiatives that continue to this day.

Since 1954, Canadian fire fighters have raised more than $103 million for Muscular Dystrophy Canada. IAFF affiliates typically raise more than $1 million annually for the charity, including last year when 103 Canadian locals raised $1,050,034.

“Muscular Dystrophy Canada is extremely proud of the long-standing partnership we have with fire fighters across Canada. Their unwavering support especially throughout the years has helped purchase wheelchairs, hospital beds, leg braces, walkers, respirators and other life-changing equipment for individuals of all ages, across the country,” said Stacey Lintern, CEO, Muscular Dystrophy Canada.

“The funds raised have also supported advocacy efforts to raise awareness and make positive policy changes, and have contributed to significant investments in research which have now lead to access to life changing treatments.”

A timeline assembled by Muscular Dystrophy Canada to mark the 70th anniversary of its partnership with fire fighters tells a tale of regular advances, and ends with a flurry of important research advances in just the past four years, including newborn screening for spinal muscular atrophy, the introduction of a national clinical trials network and work in gene therapy readiness that will hopefully lead to the next generation of potential cures for neuromuscular disorders.

The funding Muscular Dystrophy Canada has provided to neuromuscular research has changed our lives infinitely…

Mississauga Local 1212 member Brodie Grant

While fire fighters across Canada work hard to raise funds for Muscular Dystrophy Canada each year, the organization holds a special place for Mississauga Local 1212 member Brodie Grant and his family. His son Ben was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy when he was a toddler, and the family sees the benefits of the Muscular Dystrophy Canada research and services firsthand.

“The funding Muscular Dystrophy Canada has provided to neuromuscular research has changed our lives infinitely,” Grant said. “We have seen directly, even from the information we received initially, how far medicine and therapies have come in as little as 10 years. Ben has great doctors who are pushing the envelope to find the next thing: a treatment, therapy or cure. The funding from Muscular Dystrophy Canada specifically enables them to do that research and take those chances.”

Thanks to improvements in neuromuscular treatments and therapies, Ben is an active 6-year-old who can walk, run and climb. And while the family is still concerned about what the future holds, they know that Duchenne is a very different disease now, compared to 20 years ago.

To celebrate the milestone 70th anniversary of its partnership with Canadian fire fighters, Muscular Dystrophy Canada is looking for 70 new IAFF locals to conduct fundraising initiatives in their communities, asking all affiliates to participate in the 70th Anniversary National Fire Fighter Challenge this summer, and to challenge others to do the same.

Affiliates can sign up for the challenge at www.filltheboot.ca. It’s open through Sept. 8, and the group thatraises the most will be awarded the National Champions trophy. The group in each province that raises the most will be awarded the Provincial Champions award. Canadians can vote for the most creative fundraising idea, and the winning team will receive the People’s Choice award.

“Over the years, fire fighters have shown a lot of creativity in raising funds for Canadians affected by neuromuscular disorders. They’ve climbed stairs, shaved their heads, done cold plunges, and completed hockey and basketball trick shots, to name a few,” Lintern sayid. “We’re hoping this challenge is a fun twist on something fire fighters already do such an amazing job at – raising funds to support Canadians.”

To learn more about fundraising for Muscular Dystrophy Canada, visit www.filltheboot.ca or connect with Jennifer Williams at [email protected].