An in-person Trek for Tourette raised more than double what it did virtually last year.
Running at Gravenhurst’s Gull Lake Rotary Park on Saturday, the fundraiser raised just over $7,100, up from just under $3,000 last year.
“I am so exuberant and ecstatic– I’m really tired right now after a day of walking in the sunshine,” jokes Shawn Forth with Tourette Canada’s Muskoka Resource Unit. “But I’m just so excited and so overwhelmed by the community response [of] showing support and building awareness for Tourette Syndrome in Muskoka.”
Tourette Syndrome is a neurological disorder estimated to affect between one and four per cent of Canadians. It is characterized by sudden, involuntary sounds or movements known as tics.
Coprolalia, which is involuntary swearing, only affects about 10 per cent of people with the disorder.
The Bracebridge Falls are lit up in teal this week, in honour of Tourette Syndrome Awareness Month. Forth says about 38 people participated in the Muskoka Trek, which was one of only four across Canada running in-person.
“The funds are used for Tourette Canada, with research, educational resources, and supports for families across the country,” says Forth. “Some of the funds stay with the Muskoka Resource Unit to support a couple of youth to take part in a summer camp, as well as resources in Muskoka, and our meeting space once we start meeting back in-person indoors.”
The group meets the second Tuesday of each month, with the next scheduled for June 14. More details can be found on the organization’s Facebook page.