MS Walk

On April 5, 2008, I am participating in the National MS Walk in Springfield. My friends and I are going to walk 9 miles (hopefully we'll make it that far!) in support of helping our friends and family members who suffer from multiple sclerosis. There currently is no cure for MS, and it is such a debilitating disease that affects many of those who are close to our hearts. I am glad to do anything I can to help. If you would like to help by making a donation to sponsor me in the walk, please visit my personal donation website here. You can very easily and securely make a donation online, in any amount that you wish. (And it is tax deductible, so save your receipt!) Thanks so much for any support you can give.

Just FYI, here are some facts about MS from the National MS Society website :

• MS is thought to be an autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system (CNS). In MS, myelin, a fatty tissue which helps nerve fibers conduct electrical impulses, is lost in multiple areas, leaving scar tissue called sclerosis. These damaged areas are also known as plaques or lesions. Sometimes the nerve fiber itself is damaged or broken.
• Myelin not only protects nerve fibers, but makes their job possible. When myelin or the nerve fiber is destroyed or damaged, the ability of the nerves to conduct electrical impulses to and from the brain is disrupted, and this produces the various symptoms of MS.
• Symptoms of MS are unpredictable and vary from person to person and from time to time in the same person. The possible common symptoms include: Bladder Dysfunction, Bowel Dysfunction, Changes in Cognitive Function (including problems with memory, attention, and problem solving), Dizzines and Vertigo, Depression and other Emotional Changes, Fatigue, Difficulty Walking, Numbness, Pain, Sexual Dysfunction, Spasticity, and Vision Problems
• The exact cause of MS is unknown, but most researchers believe the damage to myelin results from an abnormal response by the body's immune system. In autoimmune diseases, the body attacks its own tissue; in the case of MS, myelin is attacked. While the triggers of the attack are unknown, researchers agree that several factors are involved, including: Genetics, Gender, Environmental Triggers (such as viruses, trauma and heavy metals)
• Most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50.
• Twice as many women as men have MS.
• Approximately 400,000 Americans acknowledge having MS, and every week about 200 people are diagnosed. Worldwide, MS may affect 2.5 million individuals.