Walk MS set for April 6

A fundraising walk that benefits the National Multiple Sclerosis Society will take place in Homewood on Saturday, April 6. 

Walk MS: Birmingham will feature 1-mile and 3-mile routes that start at Homewood Central Park on Oxmoor Road. The walk begins at 8 a.m.

“I think it’s an incredible event that helps bring people together and creates great community,” said Cristine Lovato, NMSS media relations manager.

There is no registration fee for the walk, but participants are encouraged to set a fundraising goal. Those who raise at least $100 will receive a commemorative race T-shirt.

In a press release, Lovato wrote that the NMSS expects the event to draw more than 1,000 participants and raise more than $200,000. Proceeds support multiple sclerosis research and provide services to those affected by the disease. 

Walk MS has raised more than $1 billion since its inception in 1988, the press release said. 

“We believe in doing whatever it takes to accelerate breakthroughs in this disease,” NMSS President and CEO Cyndi Zagieboylo said in the release.  “Nobody should face MS alone, which is why Walk MS is so powerful as the gathering place for the MS movement.”

MS is a disease that affects the central nervous system and inhibits communication between the brain and body. It can lead to loss of coordination and vision, among other symptoms. 

According to the event website, the Walk MS: Birmingham course is accessible for people who use scooters, wheelchairs, walkers or canes. To find out more information or to register, go to nationalmssociety.org and search “Walk MS Birmingham.”