Let's Help Phyliss Hurt Reach Her Goal! 
Join Team Sequoia as we support Phyliss Hurt in the annual MS Fundraising Walk
Sunday April 15, 2007 as a part of the nationwide 2007 MS 3.5 Mile Charity Walk.
Here is a great example of a FUN physical activity. Phyliss Hurt has MS and has been working on her own cure. With the help of The Sequoia Health Team acupuncturist Sharon Crowell and Woody McMahon, personal trainer, Phyliss has improved her balance and ability to walk while reducing her knee and hip pain.
In her words, "I have been doing great."
Several weeks ago, Phyliss and I were talking about the importance of setting strong health and fitness goals for the New Year. Phyliss decided she needed a challenge to keep herself focused and motivated for the coming year. Surprising me at the next session she said
"Woody, I decided to do the April 2nd 3.5 mile charity walk for MS." All I could say was "WOW." This really is a worthy challenge and I am proud Phyliss would even consider doing it. Completing the 3.5 mile walk is an excellent health and fitness goal for her. Phyliss is doing something good for herself by preparing for a specific, targeted event; she is also doing something good for all people with MS.
So here is the deal. We all need at least one good fitness goal for 2007 so I invite you, no
I CHALLENGE everyone to sign-up for either the 3.5 or 6 mile walk. If you can't attend you can donate to the cause. But please come. Your whole family is invited; no walker is too young to get involved. Besides, it will be a lot of fun.
Team Sequoia will have prizes for the person that raises the most pledge money; wears the goofiest outfit; finishes without blisters on their feet. We will have a pre-walk breakfast as well to stoke the furnace.
So come on...Phyliss needs your support. Please be there to help her, MS and yourself. There is no cost to sign-up. Our team fundraising goal is $100 for an individual and $250 per family in pledges. Register here and join Team Sequoia on Sunday April 15, 2007.
What Is Multiple Sclerosis?
MS is thought to be an autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system (CNS). The CNS consists of the brain, spinal cord, and the optic nerves. Surrounding and protecting the nerve fibers of the CNS is a fatty tissue called myelin, which helps nerve fibers conduct electrical impulses.
Myelin not only protects nerve fibers, but makes their job possible. In MS, myelin is lost in multiple areas, leaving scar tissue called sclerosis. These damaged areas are also known as plaques or lesions. Sometimes the nerve fiber itself is damaged or broken. When myelin or the nerve fiber is destroyed or damaged, the ability of the nerves to conduct electrical impulses to and from the brain is disrupted, and this produces the various symptoms of MS.
Why Do We Walk
Thank you for making the 2006 MS Walks a success! Over 200,000 people walked last year contributing over $47 million to curing MS.
When thousands of people walk together in the MS Walk, awareness is generated of the many programs and events provided by the National MS Society's nationwide network of chapters. Husbands walk for their wives, kids walk for their dads, co-workers walk for their cubicle neighbor, all proudly wearing an "I'm Walking For . . ." sticker on their shirt. Each one is raising money so that local National MS Society offices can provide literature, support groups, and education programs. So that we can continue to fund cutting edge research into the cause and cure. Research that will continue, until in the end, 2 hours pass when no one is diagnosed, then a day, then a week, until the day when no one is diagnosed, and the cure is found.
This is why we walk.
Don't miss this opportunity to help make a difference in curing MS!
