Hi my name is Mitchell. I am 11 years old and I have been doing the MS Readathon for the past four years, so that I can help people, like my mum, who have MS (multiple sclerosis). I love doing the MS Readathon because I love reading and helping people, especially the ones who have MS, because I know what it is like to have a parent who has it. At school I try to get all of the other kids to participate. Last year I gave a speech at assembly telling them all about the MS Readathon, and how much fun it is to do it. Bosko (the mascot for the MS Readathon) came to my school to hear my speech.

Bosko invited me and some other kids to come to his 1st birthday party. It was a dress-up party and I had to dress as my favourite book character. I went dressed as ‘Tashi’ and got interviewed for a story on Channel 10 news.

I also got the chance to go to a book launch for Liliana Stafford’s new book, ‘Heipparallaa!’. Bosko was there too, and me and the other kids had heaps of fun playing games with him. It was a great day.

As a thank you for my efforts in last year’s MS Readathon I received some fantastic rewards. The best one was getting to meet the Premier of Western Australia at Parliament House, and having photos taken with him.

I hope as many of you as possible will join me in reading for the MS Readsthon this year, it’s heaps of fun and by reading and raising money, you are helping to do a really good thing for so many people.

Hi, my name is Sheri, and I have MS. I have had MS, (multiple sclerosis) for the past 16 years. MS is a bit different for everyone who has it. For me it affects my eye-sight (sometimes things are a bit fuzzy when I look at them), my balance (I have to walk with a walking stick or a crutch most of the time, so that I don’t trip over), I don’t like really hot weather (cause it makes all of my symptoms worse) and I get tired very quickly (so I have to lay down and rest a lot). All of this means that I can’t do the things that other mums and dads (who don’t have MS) can do with their kids, such as running around and kicking a ball, or even playing chasey. Just ask my son, Mitchell, who is 11, and who has had to put up with this his whole life. Luckily his dad and his dog Rex can run around and do these things with him instead.

This year is the 30th anniversary of the MS Readathon, which is really special. It means that for thirty years, children all around Australia have been reading to help people who have MS, live their lives more comfortably with help from the MS Society. The MS Society provides help in many ways. Sometimes if you’re having a bad day you might just need someone to talk to, or in my case, I need someone to help me with my housework. Other people need physiotherapy and massage so that they can move around a bit easier. The money raised by the MS Readathon helps the MS Society to be able to provide these services to their members. I remember doing the MS Readathon when I was at school, never realising that I would be needing help from the MS Society when I grew up.

Mitchell has been doing the MS Readathon for four years and has raised lots of money for the Society. I am very proud of him. He says that it is one way he can help me and all of the other people who have MS. He encourages other kids from his school to participate as well, and collects donations from friends, family, neighbours, local businesses, and his dad’s and my workplaces. Last year they even had a story in the local paper about him and the amount of hard work he put in for the MS Readathon.

Without the help of all the wonderful kids who read and raise money by doing the MS Readathon, the MS Society would not be able to give the support and care that it does to it’s members and their families. If you would like to help the MS Society do this, fill in the registration form, get some sponsers, and start reading. HAVE FUN!

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