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Mason County group walks for MS
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CopyEileen Bailey was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), a little understood and devastating neurological disease, in 2002.
Her first step, after the initial shock, she said, was to contact the National MS Society.
"I didn't know what to do so I called the MS Society," she said. "They helped me find a doctor, get counseling and get prescriptions and get a nurse to help with the medication."
After all the MS society has done for her, Bailey said that she feels the need to give back, and started participating in MS walks with her husband, Tim, and daughter, Kristyn, in 2003.
"I was diagnosed in 2002, 2003 was my first walk," she said. "In 2004 we started getting more friends and family, this year we have 32 registered team members -20 are here today."
According to the MS Society, about 400,000 people in the United States have MS and at least 200 are diagnosed with some form of the disease every week.
MS is a neurological disease that attacks myelin, a protective coating of the nerves, the society's website says. There is no known cure for the disease.
On Saturday, Bailey's team, Kristyn's Kruisers, sponsored by family business E.I. Kristyn and Son Construction, gathered at an elementary school in Lacey to participate in a four-mile MS walk, part of the national "Walk MS" campaign. Kristyn's Kruisers raised $6,248 last year, through sales of paper MS society feet at local stores, and fundraisers.
"And that was a hard year," Bailey said.
All money raised from the walk benefits the MS Society, Bailey said, and goes towards things like research and resources for patients with MS
"They can help with prescriptions," she said. "My prescription, if I was paying out of pocket would be $1,200 per month."
By her side through the whole thing is Bailey's nine-year-old daughter, Kristyn, the namesake of the group.
"The reason I started with it was Kristyn was only 6 months old when I was diagnosed ... the MS society really helped."
Copyright 2011 Shelton-Mason County Journal, Shelton, Washington. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from SmallTownPapers, Inc.
© 2011 Shelton-Mason County Journal Shelton, Washington. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.
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