Feb 22, 2009
MORE THAN 7,000 EXPECTED TO RAISE $2.7 MILLION AT WALK MS April 18 and 19
For Immediate Release Contact: Meghan Finn
212-453-3209
mfinn@msnyc.org
NEW YORK, NY – The New York City Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society will host Walk MS 2009 sponsored by EMD Serono® and Pfizer® on Staten Island Saturday, April 18, 2009 (12th Annual) and in Manhattan Sunday, April 19, 2009 (21st annual). More than 7,000 walkers are expected to participate and help raise more than $2.7 million in support of direct services for people living with MS, their friends and families in the five boroughs and national MS research to find a cure for this chronic disease of the central nervous system.
WNBC 4’s Lynn Berry will kick off the event on April 19 as Grand Marshal. WNBC 4 and Telemundo 47 are sponsors of Walk MS 2009.
WHAT: Walk MS 2009 to benefit the NYC Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society
WHEN: Saturday, April 18, 2009: Staten Island (Historic Richmond Town)
Check-in at 8 a.m.; Walk MS starts at 9 a.m.
Sunday, April 19, 2009: Manhattan (South Street Seaport)
Check-in at 8 a.m.; Walk MS starts at 9:30 a.m.
REGISTRATION: Visit www.walkMSnyc.org, call 212-463-9791 or email walkms@msnyc.org. Participants have a choice of a fully accessible three mile route on Staten Island, and a three (fully-accessible) or six mile route in Manhattan.
WHY: Proceeds raised will benefit the New York City Chapter of the National MS Society and MS research.
About Walk MS Manhattan
New York City’s Walk MS has made enormous strides since its beginning in 1989. Starting with just 1,000 participants, this annual event has grown to involve more than 7,000 walkers and 750 volunteers. Walk MS starts and finishes at the South Street Seaport. Participants will enjoy the historic neighborhoods and lovely lower Manhattan sights, including the East River promenade and the Brooklyn Bridge.
About Walk MS Staten Island
Since 1997, the Staten Island Walk MS has helped raise more than $1 million dollars in direct support of individuals affected by MS and toward national MS research. In 2008 alone, more than 800 people walked, raising more than $250,000! This year, participants in Walk MS on Staten Island will enjoy a three-mile route through the beautiful neighborhoods of Historic Richmond Town.
Walk MS 2009 Sponsors
Major sponsors for Walk MS 2009 sponsored by EMD Serono® and Pfizer®, include the following: 101.9 RXP, Acorda Therapeutics, Andean Dream, Cabot Creamery, Crunch, Embodi, Fuze, Grown-up Soda, Hampton Inn, Hudson River Park Trust, Iceland Spring Water, Inko’s, Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, NBC4/TELEMUNDO47, New York Post, O.N.E. Drinks, Oz Moving, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLC, Pretzel Crisps, Pop Chips, Pure Protein, Richmond County Savings Foundation, Sheffa Foods, Snikiddy Snacks, Uncle Louie G’s, UTZ and Weight Watchers Magazine.
About the New York City Chapter
The New York City Chapter of the National MS Society is committed to helping the thousands of New Yorkers impacted by MS continue moving their lives forward. The chapter raises funds locally to support the Society’s critical research initiatives and to provide hundreds of comprehensive support services and educational programs to people living with MS, their family and friends. Visit www.MSnyc.org for more information.
About the National Multiple Sclerosis Society
The National MS Society helps each person address the challenges of living with MS. In 2008 alone, through its national office and 50 state network of chapters, the Society devoted over $136 million to programs that enhanced more than one million lives. To help move closer to a world free of MS, the Society also invested over $50 million to support 444 research projects around the world. Join the movement at www.nationalMSsociety.org.
Early and ongoing treatment with an FDA-approved therapy can make a difference for people with multiple sclerosis. To learn about the options, individuals should talk to their health care professionals and contact the National MS Society at www.nationalMSsociety.org or 1-800-344-4867 (1-800-FIGHT-MS).
About Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis interrupts the flow of information between the brain and the body and it 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.
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