A Portage la Prairie family is seeking to ensure those suffering from MS have a support group available that covers the needs of entire families affected by the disease. Ron Decaire presented his plans to City Hall on Tuesday. He initiated Portage and Rural MS Support and he is chairperson of the group.

"My wife and I, after finding that our daughter had MS, found that there really wasn't a good support group for us to deal with as caregivers for our daughter," explains Decaire. "Eventually we did find out they had just started a young adults group. But obviously, it wasn't just picking up from that. I think it just can't be about young adults. It has to be about everybody. It has to be about family."

Decaire notes he came to understand that even fundraising must be approached as a family, seeing as caregivers, as well as those with MS, need that kind of support. He says a larger family type of support behind these people, providing any needs they might have, is what they're endeavouring the create.

He adds everything was official since February 13th, but weather prohibited everyone from making it out to their launch. He says seminars and those who'll speak for them are being scheduled. Decaire says it matters not if only one shows up or 10 people, it still matters seeing as they just want everyone to know it's available. You're invited to attend their gatherings even if you don't have MS, or live outside Portage in Winnipeg or Brandon.

Decaire explains he's met with at least six new people who are dealing with MS, and no one knew of them. He says his daughter was diagnosed three years ago, and never knew these other people were also dealing with the disease. So, he notes, it's a matter of getting the word out and having people come together, which is why he presented the effort to the city.

He adds the services they're offering includes cutting the grass, shovelling in the winter, or giving rides to appointments to make lives easier to live. Decaire says when your child gets sick, whether it be MS or cancer, it hits you like a ton of bricks, leaving you wondering how you can deal with it. So, this is what inspired him and his wife to step out and do this. Decaire says people with MS need to know that just because you have it, doesn't mean you're not part of this life in which you can have fun and enjoy it. He notes any issues you have will be dealt with as you go. Although Decaire explains they're not medics to treat the disease, they can provide a comfortable life to make it easier. Explaining that stress, fatigue and heat are the main problems with those enduring MS, helping someone with stress will likely help them through their fatigue. When the heat's an issue in the summer, they're planning to provide cooling hats or vests, for example.