It’s an annual public event but for Warren County resident Tony Brigano it was also personal. His daughter has MS.
“We do this to support her and support the MS Society,” said Brigano as he finished the more than one mile walk around the lake at the park on the border of West Chester and Liberty townships.
“We are really proud of what we do and this is our fourth year of doing this and this is one of our favorite walks,” he said. “It’s a wonderful crowd today.”
MS Society officials said more than $30,000 was raised in the morning event.
Steven Niemann, a national MS Society official and co-coordinator of the fund-raising walk, said “we’re raising awareness, raising money for research, programs and services for the 6,000 people who live locally who are affected by MS.”
MS is an often disabling disease of the central nervous system. It disrupts the flow of information within the brain and between the brain and body. The progress, severity and specific symptoms of MS in any one person cannot yet be predicted.
Most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, with more than two to three times more women than men being diagnosed with the disease that affects more than 2.3 million worldwide.
Cyndi Zagieboylo, president and CEO of the National MS Society, said “walk MS is all about community - people coming together to raise money and show support for loved ones, colleagues and friends.”
“Funds raised have a direct impact in this community, for example - our MS Navigator program,” said Zagieboylo.
She said MS Navigators “are highly skilled, compassionate professionals available to connect each person affected by MS to the resources and information they need to live their best lives.”
For more information about multiple sclerosis and the National MS Society go to nationalMSsociety.org or call 800-344-4867.
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