Farmington to host Walk MS 2012 event on Sept. 29

FARMINGTON – Maine residents are rallying at Farmington Community Center, Saturday, Sept. 29 for Walk MS 2012, presented by Biogen Idec and Elan, to create a world free of multiple sclerosis for more than 3,000 Maine residents, and their families, who are affected by multiple sclerosis.

Walkers follow a 2.5‑mile path from Farmington Community Center with a shorter one-mile route option available. The walk starts at 10 a.m. with check-in beginning at 9 a.m. Each walker agrees to raise a minimum of $25, but most walkers easily average over $200. Organized by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Greater New England Chapter, more than 200,000 walkers participate nationwide in Walk MS each year at more than 600 sites, raising over $30 million. Family and corporate Walk teams and volunteers can register online, www.walkMSgne.org, or by calling 1‑800‑344‑4867, and in‑person the day of the Walk.

“Without Walk MS, we wouldn’t have the funds for newly diagnosed education and support,” said Heidi Eastman, Programs Manager. “Without Walk MS, we’d be set back 50 years to a time when there were no approved treatments for MS, and there was very little understanding about how MS works.”

Last year, nearly 10,000 walkers participated in Walk MS throughout Maine, Mass., N.H., and Vermont, and raised well over $2.6 million. 85 percent of monies raised by the Chapter provide vital MS education, support, advocacy, and services in the local community, while funding cutting edge research into prevention, treatment, and cure. Of the many corporate sponsors that make Walk MS possible each year, our most loyal and generous are Spectrum Medical Group, CES, Subway, Dominos, Tim Horton’s, WHSN, and Ride Away.

In all, five Walk MS fall events take place across Maine. Saturday, Sept. 29: FARMINGTON at Farmington Community Center (3 miles); BELFAST at Belfast Area High School (3 miles); and BANGOR/BREWER at Brewer Auditorium (5 miles). Sunday, Sept. 30: CALAIS at The Bank of Maine (3 miles); and YORK at York High School (6 miles).

Multiple sclerosis interrupts the flow of information between brain and body and can stop people from moving forward in their lives. The progress, severity, and specific symptoms of MS in any one person cannot yet be predicted, but advances in research and treatment are moving us closer to a world free of MS. Most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, but teenagers and even young children can have the disease. More than twice as many women as men have MS, which affects more than 400,000 people in the U.S., and 2.1 million worldwide.

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society helps each person address the challenges of living with MS. Early and ongoing treatment with an FDA-approved therapy can make a difference for people with multiple sclerosis. Learn about your options by talking to your health care professional and contacting the National MS Society at www.MSnewengland.org, or 1-800-344-4867.