Video: Starkville Walks for Multiple Sclerosis

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STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Thousands of people suffer from different forms of Multiple Sclerosis in the state of Mississippi. One Golden Triangle area group is trying to bring more awareness to the disease.

Multiple Sclerosis is unpredictable, often a disabling disease of the central nervous system that interrupts the flow of information within the brain and between the brain and body.

“One of the most difficult things with MS is that it’s a complicated disease and it doesn’t necessarily affect the same person the same way. People could be in wheelchairs and paralyzed, they may have vision problems or they could be walking around just like you and me, but have heat intolerance or get tired real easily,” says Robin Rae Burns.

The Alabama and Mississippi Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis society wants to bring more awareness of the disease with a walk event for the victims and their families. Robin Rae Burns, one of the organizers of the event says the disease even hits home for Mississippi State University.

“Mississippi State definitely has a connection with MS as there is people who have worked at State, Dr. Zacharius and different people like that who have lived with MS and that sort of thing,” says Burns.

Rachel Salda, a student at MSU, remembers when her father was first diagnosed with the disease. She says events like these are important for everyone involved.

“He was in the hospital for two weeks before the doctors figure out what it was and they were diagnosing him with other things and stroke and lupus and all these other things that have the same symptoms before they really found out it was multiple Sclerosis and so I think it’s crucial not only for people, but for doctors and everything else to realize how big of an issue it is,” says Rachel Salda.

Even though Salda’s father is still active, she says it’s hard to see him battle with the disease.

“He is still teaching at the University of Southern Mississippi so he still is pretty active and everything, but he is very tired and fatigued a lot and so it’s hard to watch him go through that and know that nothing I can do can fix it,” says Salda.

With more awareness, comes more funding for research projects to help find a cure for the disease.

Most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50.

Categories: Local News

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