Many Steps, One Destination – A World Free of MS

The 25th annual Walk MS: Tulsa will be held at Veterans Park on Saturday, April 21, 2012.

Walk MS: Tulsa presented by Pfizer is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. The event will bring more than 1,500 Tulsa-area residents to the ­rallying point of the MS ­movement, a community coming together to raise funds and awareness for the National MS Society, Oklahoma. Funds raised will support direct services and programs for more than 3,400 people with MS and their ­families in Oklahoma and MS research to find a cure for this chronic disease of the central nervous system. With a goal to raise $128,000 for MS research and programs, Walk MS: Tulsa will take place on Saturday, April 21 at Veterans Park, ­located at 1875 S. Boulder Dr. in Tulsa, and will feature a three-mile walk.

Participants will enjoy ­family-friendly fun for people of all ages, including entertainment and refreshments. All ­participants and volunteers are welcome to enjoy fruit, bagels, pastries and coffee for breakfast and hot dogs and apple slices for lunch.

There will be two new ­features at this year’s Walk MS – Battle of the Bands from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and an MS Expo showcasing local vendors and resources for people affected by MS. The Battle of the Bands brings youth and their families together to watch local bands compete in an awareness event benefitting the Youth Against Multiple Sclerosis program. Youth also volunteer during the event, helping out with various activities.

Visit www.walkMSok.org to register to walk, volunteer or donate. There is no registration fee and no minimum pledge commitment; however, the ­average walker raises $225 to support research initiatives, ­programs and services of the National MS Society, Oklahoma. Walkers who raise a minimum of $100 will receive a commemorative short-sleeve T-shirt. Online registration is currently open. Individuals interested in joining or creating a team can sign up online with coworkers, friends, family or neighbors. It only takes four people to make a team. ­

Day-of-event registration begins at 7:30 a.m., followed by a 9 a.m. start time. Dogs are welcome.

Multiple sclerosis, an ­unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system, interrupts the flow of information within the brain, and between the brain and body. Symptoms range from numbness and tingling to blindness and paralysis. 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.

“We walk together to make a powerful statement and to keep moving toward a cure. Each step you take brings us closer to a world free of MS,” says Brandi Moore, regional communications manager for National MS Society, Oklahoma.

Register online or by calling 1-800-344-4867. Join the 25th annual Walk MS: Tulsa at Veterans Park for a leisurely three-mile scenic walk down Riverside, and stay for family activities, entertainment and a festival atmosphere!

 

Multiple Sclerosis

• Every hour in the United States, someone is newly diagnosed with MS.
• Most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, with more than twice as many women as men being diagnosed.
• MS is the No. 1 disabling disease among young adults in the U.S.

Walk MS

• $50 million was raised by Walk MS events across the country in 2011.
• $623 million has been raised since its inception in 1989.
• 300,000 participate in Walk MS every year.

For more information, contact

National MS Society, Oklahoma

1-800-344-4867

www.walkMSok.org