MS Canada and SHRF to Fund the First Ever Canadian Clinical Best Practice Guideline for Multiple Sclerosis Rehabilitation.

[Toronto, ON, April 4, 2025] - Today, MS Canada and the Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation (SHRF) announce their partnership to fund the first ever comprehensive and accessible clinical best practice guideline for multiple sclerosis (MS) rehabilitation and symptom management. 

MS is known to be Canada’s disease, with over 90,000 Canadians living with it and about 12 diagnosed every day. Through their continued work, MS Canada and SHRF take meaningful action in supporting research looking into the most challenging questions about MS. Rehabilitation is a key area of interest in MS research as it can support symptom management, optimize functional independence, and enhance social participation for people living with MS. However, access to rehabilitation services varies across the country.

Alongside her team, Dr. Sarah Donkers has set out to move Canada closer to a solution by developing the first Canadian MS Rehabilitation Clinical Best Practice Guideline to advance access to comprehensive MS care and improve health outcomes for people living with MS. The guideline will include recommendations based on the best available evidence, with the goal of providing a meaningful resource to people living with MS and their healthcare team, ultimately improving quality of care and health outcomes. 

For this project, Dr. Sarah Donkers and team have been awarded $200,000 by MS Canada, which is being generously funded by the Frederick and Isabella Troop Family Foundation, and $100,000 by the SHRF, a $300,000 investment all together. 

“This generous funding is a testament to both MS Canada’s and SHRF’s commitment to supporting people living with MS,” said Dr. Sarah Donkers, a registered physiotherapist and Associate Professor in neurorehabilitation at the University of Saskatchewan. “We are excited at the opportunity to work with experts across Canada bringing a variety of perspectives to the forefront of our work. Our hope is that the result will be a valuable resource to help people living with MS and their healthcare teams make the best decisions possible.” 

“We are proud to support research projects that help move us closer to better treatment and care for Canadians living with MS.” said Benjamin Davis, Senior Vice-President of Mission at MS Canada. “The rehabilitation guidelines are an important step in advancing access to comprehensive MS care and will have a lasting impact in health management and quality of life for Canadians living with MS.”

After reviewing the latest research and evidence on prioritized topics in MS rehabilitation and symptom management, such as fatigue, mobility, cognition, mood and emotion, Dr. Donkers and team will develop clear recommendations for clinical best practices in MS rehabilitation. The result will be made available online [LN1] [CA2] and through a variety of resources to help increase awareness, uptake and clinical use of the guidelines.

For more information, see research summary.

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About MS Canada 

At MS Canada, we are inspired by the vision of a world free of multiple sclerosis. We focus on support, advocacy and research that will positively impact the lives of people living with, and affected by MS. For over 75 years, we have been a trusted connection for the MS community to valuable resources and programs needed on their unique MS journey. We advocate for improved policies and systems that will better support Canadians living with MS. We invest in life-changing research that will advance treatment and care, enhance well-being, help to understand and halt disease progression, and ultimately prevent MS. For more information visit mscanada.ca 

About multiple sclerosis (MS) 

Canada has one of the highest rates of multiple sclerosis (MS) in the world. On average, 12 Canadians are diagnosed every day. MS is a neurological disease of the central nervous system (brain, spinal cord). Most people are diagnosed with MS between the ages of 20 and 49. It is considered an episodic disability meaning that the severity and duration of episodes of illness and disability can vary, often followed by periods of wellness. It can also be progressive. 

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About the Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation (SHRF)

Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation (SHRF) is the provincial funding agency that funds, supports and promotes the impact of health research that matters to Saskatchewan. SHRF collaborates with stakeholders to contribute to the growth of a high-performing health system, culture of innovation and the improved health of citizens by strengthening research capacity and competitiveness, increasing the investment in health research in Saskatchewan and aligning research with the needs of our stakeholders.

Media Contacts:

Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation (SHRF)

Karen Tilsley

Director of Programs and Partnerships

Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation

639 398 8398

ktilsley@shrf.ca

MS Canada 
Laila Namur

Manager, Corporate Communications

MS Canada

778 874 4876

Laila.Namur@mscanada.ca