Craig MacDonald is an energetic and animated 38-year-old. But he’s had to learn not to push himself too much over the years.

“The first time I went into the hospital for my condition was ’96, August ’96,” he recalls. “I was admitted for 12 days. I didn’t really know what was happening. I just knew that it was extremely painful. It felt like a charley horse all over.”

The condition turned out to be neuromuscular, but an exact diagnosis has never been found. MacDonald ends up in hospital about once a year with muscle attacks.

“I’m very positive and I’ve always been positive. This doesn’t affect me in that way. I’m very strong when it comes to that.”

Giving back contributes to his positivity. In 2006, MacDonald started hosting New Year’s Eve parties in support of the Children’s Wish Foundation. His mother passed away just before the inaugural event which motivated him even more.

The first wish was granted to a little boy.

“He was diagnosed with sort of the same thing mom had, brain cancer, and so I wanted to give back,” MacDonald says. “Mom was too sick to go on trips, so we said, ‘let’s do this’.”

The final New Year’s Eve part in support of the foundation took place in 2013, granting a total of eight wishes for children in need.

A few months later after relocating to Edmonton, MacDonald had his worst muscle attack to date, spending over two months in hospital.

“I’m used to being in there for 10 to 14, two weeks, but this just continued and it just kept going and I was like ‘what is going on? Why am I still here?’.”

MacDonald returned to Halifax after he was released. His recovery was slow, but his resolve to help others was as strong as ever.

“I wanted to do something for neuroscience patients and I wanted to keep it sort of personal,” MacDonald says.

In 2015, the Craig Mac Comfort Initiative was formed to support neuromuscular patients and their families at the QEII Health Sciences Centre – the same hospital that has cared for him for 20 years.

So far, around $8,000 has been raised.

“It just keeps me going, you know, that like I can help out patients that were in my shoes. It gives patients at the QEII some hope, happy. I’m trying to accomplish all those things.”

MacDonald will be recognized for his charity work at the Family SOS Courage to Give Back Awards Jan. 19 in Halifax.

He will be given the Unsung Hero award for constantly helping others despite his own illness.