🦽 Muscular Dystrophy Canada · Walk & Roll 2026
"Time is muscle."
When treatments for neuromuscular disorders aren't available in Canada until years after they're accessible in the US and Europe, patients lose muscle function while they wait. Lauren Pires is walking on May 24 to help change that, and to finally walk a 5K surrounded by people who share her journey for the very first time.
Why Lauren is Walking
The little changes you don't notice until they happen
Lauren Pires was born with Central Core Disease, a rare neuromuscular disorder that gives her about 33% of average physical strength. Not 33% less. Just 33%. For over 30 years she hid it, and in 2022 she shared her story publicly for the first time at Speaker Slam.
In the last few years, she has noticed her muscle function changing. She used to be able to get up from the floor herself. Now she has to think about how to position herself to get out of a lower seat. A higher-than-usual curb in heels, a bigger purse. Things that most people don't register at all. Little changes that make you wonder if you should just start avoiding them.
Sometimes she does avoid them. But she has also started making small changes to maintain her strength. One of them is finally working toward a goal she has had for a long time: walking a 5K. May 24 will be the first time she does it, surrounded by people who share her family's medical journey for the very first time in her life. She is calling that a full-circle moment.
The Yay Team is named after the Daily Yay, the framework Lauren teaches in her keynotes: a daily practice of finding small moments of joy that make the harder things bearable. Donating is a way of joining that team even if you can't be at Ashbridges Bay Park on May 24.
About Muscular Dystrophy Canada
Where your donation goes
Muscular Dystrophy Canada supports Canadians living with over 150 neuromuscular conditions, including muscular dystrophy, ALS, and rare disorders like Lauren's Central Core Disease. Founded in 1954, MDC represents more than 50,000 registered individuals across Canada.
Research funding
MDC funds research into treatments and cures for neuromuscular conditions. Central Core Disease currently has no cure. Research is how that changes.
Community support
Equipment loans, peer support programs, and connections to the broader neuromuscular community for Canadians who are often navigating their conditions without anyone nearby who shares them.
What About Canada?
MDC's national policy campaign launching this month. Neuromuscular treatments can take two to three years to reach Canadian patients after Health Canada approval. This initiative pushes for a fast-track pathway so Canadians aren't losing muscle function while they wait.
Time is muscle. Every dollar helps.
Donate to Lauren's page or join The Yay Team and walk with her on May 24. The route is 5K with markers at every kilometre, so you can turn around at any point. If you can't be there, donating is the next best thing.