A&W kicked off its ninth annual Burgers Beat MS campaign Thursday, selling teen burgers with $2 from every burger going to the MS Society of Canada.

The campaign鈥攚hich includes A&W restaurants cross the country, including six restaurants in 91大黄鸭, two in West 91大黄鸭 and one each in Lake Country and Peachland鈥攈as raised more than $9 million for the MS Society of Canada since it started and the the chain鈥檚 CFO, Don Leslie was on hand in 91大黄鸭 Wednesday to help celebrate.

He said when the burger chain went looking for a cause to support nine years ago, it settled on MS because Canada has the highest rate of MS in the world.

鈥淚t鈥檚 kind of like a Canadian disease,鈥� said Leslie. 鈥淎nd because we鈥檙e a Canadian company, we felt it was appropriate.鈥�

On Thursday, $2 from the sale of all Teen burgers sold was donated to the MS Society of Canada.

But Leslie said that was not the only opportunity for people to donate to the cause. Throughout the month, he said, anyone wanting to donate could do so at A&W restaurant collection points.

Tania Vrionis, president of the B.C. and Yukon division of the MS Society of Canada said the annual fundraising effort by the restaurant chain is very important to her organization.

鈥淚t means everything,鈥� she said, adding this year, it鈥檚 hoped the campaign will raise another $2 million to aid in the fight against MS.

Vrionis said strides are being made to help treat the disease in Canada.

She said 20 years ago there were no disease modifying therapies for MS suffers. Now there are 14.

鈥淲ith each year that passes there has been more progress made,鈥� she added.