Walkers to step out at Liberty Station in fight against MS
As far as colors for causes go, some are more famous than others. Pink is readily associated with breast cancer awareness; red is identifiable with AIDS and HIV causes and yellow with the support of American troops.
Orange, on the other hand, is officially the color of multiple sclerosis awareness. On Saturday, April 4, organizers of the National Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society’s Credit Union Walk MS 2009 hope Liberty Station will be awash in orange as they seek to establish a healthy connection between the color and their own cause.
“It would just be amazing to see a sea of people in orange on Saturday,” said Beth Clark, marketing director for the MS Society.
Some 4,000 walkers are expected to cruise through Liberty Station, which is hosting the event for the second year in a row. The event itself in in its 20th year in San Diego. “There really is an electric feel to [the event],” Clark said. “There are so many people and everyone is united in support for those afflicted by the disease.”
The participants will represent roughly 250 teams, said Clark. Each team is given a fundraising webpage which they can set up themselves to accept donations or seek sponsorships.
One of those teams is headed by Mary-Alice Dube, who has been a Point Loma resident all her life.
She coined her team’s name MAD Cherry Bombs with her initials in mind, though the Cherry Bomb portion was for altogether different reasons.
“For some reason I love cherries, I have them everywhere in my house, in my car, even a cherry tattoo,” Dube said. “I added ‘bomb’ to the title because I would like to think we are blowing away MS, fighting and getting rid of the disease.”
With the help of her 15 other team members, Dube feels confident about cracking the goal of raising $4,000 in her third year of participating in the event and living with the disease.
“I would want all that money to go toward research for a cure or to develop an orally administered medication,” Dube said.
Dube has had to conquer her fear of needles because her specific treatment plan has called for a daily injection of medication from a syringe for the last three years.
“I almost fainted when my doctor told me what I had to do to treat myself,” Dube said, “and it still is difficult for me to do.”
The annual MS walk garners overwhelming support for those with MS and their friends and family members as well, said Clark.
“It’s totally emotional. When they start the walk, it’s not like a race where everyone is rushing to start. Each team captain can go up and introduce their team and say a few words and last year it was overwhelming to see my mom and my friends out to support the cause,” Dube said.
MS is a condition where the immune system attacks patients’ central nervous system, leading to demyelination of nerve cells. The onset of the disease usually occurs in young adults, is more common in females and has a prevalence that ranges between 2 and 150 people per 100,000.
To walk, give support or volunteer, participants do not need to be a part of a team. To assist the cause, participants can visit
www.mswalk.com. Information and directions can also be found at the site. Opening ceremonies and check-in starts Saturday, April 4 at 7:30 a.m. The walk is slated to begin at 8:30 a.m.
Multiple Sclerosis (MS)