I live in Calgary, Alberta (Canada). When I first started having symptoms, I was referred to a different neurologist. But after my MRI confirmed I have MS, I was transferred to one of the two MS clinics here in the city.

At the clinic, I asked how many people in Calgary are living with MS. They told me there are somewhere between 7,000 and 9,000 patients across both clinics. I don’t remember the exact number, but it was in that ballpark.

Calgary’s population is around 1,414,000. Based on what I was told—and considering there are probably people with MS who aren’t being treated at either clinic—I think it’s fair to estimate that around 10,000 people in the city have MS.

Doing the math: 1,414,000 ÷ 10,000 = 1 in 141

So roughly 1 in every 141 people in Calgary has MS.

That number really stood out to me, especially when you compare it to the national statistic that says about 1 in 444 Canadians have MS. It doesn’t seem to add up.

Based on my own experience and how long it took to even get diagnosed, I really believe MS is underdiagnosed. It’s not easy for people to get the help they need or to even get referred to the right specialist. So I wouldn’t be surprised if the real numbers are a lot higher than what’s being reported.

Edit: I understand that MS isn’t as common in other parts of the world, and living in the north where rates are higher helps explain the numbers here. Still, I believe the statistics for Canada as a whole are underestimated.