So we were contacted by Michele, a friend that was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2001. She heard about a concert and a Challenge Walk to benefit MS research that is being held this year in D.C. She decided she wanted to do something similar here in Tampa. She was looking for a way to raise awareness and money for the MS Society. He hit the internet and did a little research.

Each week 200 people are diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in the United States. Currently there are approximately 400,000 people that have Multiple Sclerosis. Women are 3 times as likely as men to be diagnosed with it.

MS is an autoimmune condition. Essentially the body's immune system attacks itself. Under normal conditions neurons carry electrical signals from the brain to the rest of the body via the white matter in your spinal cord. However, MS creates scars or lesions in the white matter. This damage interrupts the nervous system's ability to carry signals from the brain to the spinal cord and thereby the rest of the body. This leads to impairment in sensation, movement, cognition, or other functions depending on which nerves are involved.

Think of it as a damaged wire on your headphones. When the wires inside are kinked and frayed it interrupts the signal from your iPod and you begin to hear static; sometimes one ear bud goes out completely.

Depending what nerves are damaged patients with MS may experience "muscle weakness, abnormal muscle spasms, or difficulty in moving; difficulties with coordination and balance; problems in speech or swallowing, visual problems, fatigue and acute or chronic pain syndromes."

Most commonly MS causes "neuropathic pain." This pain is described as a constant boring, burning or intense tingling which usually occurs in the legs. They may also feel numbness. Imagine the worst case of a sleepy leg: Pins and needles; tingling; shivering; burning pains; feelings of pressure; and areas of skin with heightened sensitivity to touch – except no matter how much you walk it off the sensation doesn't stop. The pains associated with these can also result in aching, throbbing, stabbing, shooting, gnawing, tingling, tightness and numbness. Other symptoms result in "cognitive impairment of varying degrees, or emotional symptomatology in the form of depression."

This year at the Summer Free for All there will be a table for the MS Society. We are going to try to help her raise money and support.
Check out the myspace page Michele and I created: http://www. myspace. com/mswalktampa If you have room add it to your top friends – you don't have to make it permanent, just until after the show, then you can put your boyfriends and girlfriends back in your top 10. Copy and re-post this bulletin and help us get the word out. Some of you reading this may have MS, undoubtedly you know someone who does.

Thanks