Hundreds walk in Bend for a world free of MS

Every hour, someone in the United States is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Walk MS aims to change that.

“We’re in this fight until we find a cure, so we need everyone’s help to do this together,” said Walk MS manager Andrea Kofoed.

About 450 people answered the call for help Saturday. Participants gathered in Riverbend Park for the annual fundraiser.

There’s no fundraising minimum for the event. Kofoed said participants average about $250.

Lori Carpenter walked for her husband, Keith.

“It changed our lives — it did,” she said. “You just go from being a normal citizen to being a family that has a family member with MS. It just changes things physically — it changes the whole dynamics, really.”

MS attacks the brain and spinal cord. Symptoms vary in severity, from things like fatigue to paralysis.

Kofoed said chances are you know someone who is affected by the disease.

“I think the beautiful thing about getting involved is that first, you’re just interested, then when you start telling people, ‘I do Walk MS,'” Kofoed said. “People will say, ‘Oh, that’s great, because my mom lives with MS.’ Or your neighbor will say, ‘Oh I donate to the MS Society every year.'”

Keith Carpenter was diagnosed in 2004. Lori said they just lived with it at first, until they discovered resources. Now, she wants people to know help is available.

“There is a lot of support out there,” Lori said. “I think MS tends to make people just kind of sit back and almost hide in their homes, and we just want them to know that there’s a lot of support out there.”

This Bend walk, along with others all across Oregon and southwest Washington, will help provide scholarships, research and scientific studies to help find a cure for MS.

More information can be found at www.walkms.org.