Canada’s Christine Sinclair is a pioneer on and off the pitch. Known best for her 23 year-long international career, Sinclair has been open about the impacts of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) on her family life.
Sinclair’s senior career started before the turn of the millennium in 1999, with her call-up to the Canada senior team in 2000 while she was playing for the U18s. In her international career, she is the most prolific goal scorer in the history of international football, netting 190 goals and racking up 331 appearances
331 games, 190 goals, Olympic Gold, 2 Bronze medals, and 2 CONCACAF. A memorable career and an inspiration to girls in Canada and across the world.
Sinclair has been notably quiet when it comes to talking about her family and personal life, but since 2017 she has been actively campaigning for the awareness of MS. Her mother Sandi passed away in February 2022. This prompted the writing of her book Playing the Long Game : A Memoir which detailed her life and career.
Christine’s mother Sandi had the condition which affects the brain and spinal cord, in which the body attacks itself by mistake as it is a chronic autoimmune disease. There is currently no cure for MS, but treatments are available to manage the condition. Symptoms of MS can include:
- Fatigue
- Blurred vision
- Eye pain
- Numbness and tingling
- Feeling off-balance and dizzy
- Muscle spasms
(NHS)
MS is unpredictable. It can affect everyone differently. Some people might only be slightly affected by the condition, whereas others may lose the ability to see, walk, and speak.
Her active campaigning in 2017 saw her partner with A&W, a restaurant chain in Canada, and the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada in a bid to spread awareness of MS and its effects nationwide. A&W launched their 13th Burgers to Beat MS Day with Sinclair in 2021.
“Coming from a family that has been impacted by MS, I know first-hand the daily toll this can take on someone living with the disease, and why this fundraising initiative is so important. Together, we can make a difference for people, like my mom, who live with MS and who need support now!”
The campaign is particularly important in Canada as they have one of the highest rates of MS in the world, with the disease affecting over 90,000 Canadians. Since Sinclair has partnered with the campaign, the total raised each year continues to rise into the millions.
In her book, Sinclair shares the story of her mother and her struggles with the disease.
“I think MS is a disease a lot of the time that people suffer through in silence and suffer with in silence,” Sinclair said. “People have heard of MS, but they don’t really know what it is. So for me, I just want people to know that they’re not alone.”
Her work alongside MS Canada and A&W is a testament to her commitment to continuing her mother’s legacy and educating those less aware of MS and raising money to develop a cure. An incredible footballer an more importantly and incredible human being.
Photo: https://canadasoccer.com/news/living-legend-fifa-interviews-christine-sinclair/
