Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Just wanted to thank everyone for all the support of our MS WALK effort!!!
Debbie's team has raised $6193 so far!!! Debbie has raised the goal 3 times as she's had such great support. No wonder she is known as an organized event planner!

I am leaving late Friday night with Jen for our trip to Raleigh.

Also wanted to share, the following "article." The MS Walk team was looking for story ideas to share with the media and has the following prepared. Hoping the News & Observer will pick it up. We shall see!


Raleigh Resident Gears Up for 2009 Triangle Walk MS on April 25
Over 5,000 Expected to Attend Event to be Held at RBC Center
· Local Story Idea:
o Debbie Hamm, age 33, diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2008, Raleigh resident

o This is the second year Debbie has participated in Walk MS. Last year Debbie, her husband and three children joined the Walk 3 weeks after Debbie’s diagnosis. Debbie learned about the walk by seeing a Walk MS brochure in the doctor’s office the day she was diagnosed.

This year they started a team called Momentum, and the team’s fundraising goal is $5,000.

o Debbie has benefited from services the National MS Society offers, including a Newly Diagnosed Wellness Scholarship and the Young Adult Group.

o Quote 1: “Having MS can leave youfeeling very vulnerable and alone. I wanted to become part of something bigger, and felt compelled to do something ACTIVE to fight this disease - I wanted to walk for those who are unable to. When you take yourself out of the equation and decide to do something that will benefit others, that feeling of defeat goes away and you realize you really can make a difference. Walk MS is about connecting people, empowering individuals, creating memories, overcoming obstacles and gaining Momentum towards a world free of MS.”

o Quote 2: “It has just been a year since my diagnosis. I started having symptoms after having my 3rd child and it was the day before her baptism that the doctors sat me down and told me I have MS. Even though I was surrounded by loved ones that weekend, I felt completely alone. I knew nothing about this disease, how it would affect me, how it would affect my children and their future as well. Part of me did not want to even acknowledge that I have this disease. That is when my 2nd flare up happened - maybe God's way of telling me it was time to deal with it. I have since started taking medication and doing everything I can to be more active and healthy so that I can fight this disease with everything I've got. Since the start of the New Year, I decided to come "out of the closet" with my friends and family about having MS. I say this because initially, that is how you feel. You want to hide from MS - you don't understand the symptoms, it is different every time and nothing with this disease seems to make sense. Deciding to deal with it was incredibly scary because it made me feel vulnerable and weak. So I decided to do something that would help me feel strong and empowered.....I joined Walk MS and created Team Momentum!”

o Debbie can be reached at 919-924-6974 for further questions

RALEIGH, N.C. (April 17, 2009) — The Eastern North Carolina Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society is gearing up for Triangle Walk MS scheduled for April 25 at the RBC Center in Raleigh . Walk MS is an opportunity for individuals to support the estimated 4,600 individuals who are living with multiple sclerosis in eastern North Carolina . The event’s fundraising goal is $830,000.

“In 2008, more than 5,000 participants and volunteers helped raise over $798,000 during this event. Despite the economy, we are seeing growth in fundraising and registration,” says Bethany Coggins , special events manager for the Eastern North Carolina Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. “The Society’s services are needed now more than ever, and we look forward to uniting as a community to bring help and hope to those living with MS.”

Sixty percent of all the funds raised will go toward programs, services and advocacy for people living with MS in eastern North Carolina , and 40 percent supports national research to find the cause and cure of MS.

“MS is the number one disabling disease among young adults,” explains Coggins. “When thousands of people dedicate time and energy to raise money, it gets us that much closer to creating a world free of MS.”

In addition to the one, three and five mile walks, the event will feature live entertainment, food vendors and kids’ activities. There will be a large team tailgating area where participants can enjoy the day’s festivities with their friends, family and co-workers.

Registration is still open for the 2009 event. Start a team today with your family, friends and coworkers. For more information, registration and event sponsorship, visit http://walknct.nationalmssociety.org or call 1-800 FIGHT MS.

About Multiple Sclerosis:
Multiple sclerosis interrupts the flow of information from the brain to the body and stops people from moving. Every hour in the United States , someone is newly diagnosed with MS, an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system. 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. Most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, with more than twice as many women as men being diagnosed with the disease. MS affects more than 400,000 people in the U.S. and 2.5 million worldwide.

About the National Multiple Sclerosis Society:
MS stops people from moving. The National MS Society exists to make sure it doesn’t. The Eastern North Carolina Chapter, located in Raleigh , serves the over 4,600 individuals affected by MS in our 49-county area. We help each person address the challenges of living with MS. Each year, through our home office and 50-state network of chapters, we devote approximately $125 million to programs and services that enhance more than one million lives to move us closer to a world free of MS. In 2007, the Society invested more than $46 million to support 440 research projects around the world. We are people who want to do something about MS NOW. If you or someone you know has MS, please contact the National MS Society today at www.nationalMSsociety.org/nct or 1-800 FIGHT MS to learn about ways to help manage multiple sclerosis and about current research that may one day reveal a cure.