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Man Fighting MS Helps Raise Money For Research, Cure

DENVER (CBS4)- This weekend, thousands will lace up their sneakers in the fight against Multiple Sclerosis for Walk MS.

Saturday's walk at City Park in Denver is a critical fundraiser for the MS Society.

Scott Kaplan suffers from MS. He and his team have raised more than $100,000 for MS research.

Ten years ago, Kaplan was surprised to learn he had MS and wasn't sure what the disease had in store for him.

"I had tingling, I was just walking in the neighborhood. If I put my head down, my chin to my chest, I had tingling from the back of my neck down to the back of my knees," said Kaplan when describing his first symptoms 10 years ago.

His wife encouraged him to check out Walk MS.

"I think he was afraid of what MS was like," said Kaplan's wife. "What was it going to look like for him, what was it going to do to him, and he was afraid to see that."

Kaplan decided he had two options in how he chose to live his life.

"I could either be really upset and chose to do nothing about it, or go the other way," said Kaplan. "I do a silent auction that I literally spend six months organizing."

Now fighting the disease with fundraising is part of his life.

"I want to do whatever I can to cure myself but hopefully to cure the people who don't have it and nobody else has to worry about it," said Kaplan.

He also has a message for those who are struggling with their diagnosis.

"You know you're there for a horrible disease, it's an awesome time, that's the only way I can explain it. It's very inspiring in that one day it completely changed my outlook and inspired me to do more," said Kaplan.

Walk MS is 9:30 a.m. Saturday at City Park.

LINK: Walk MS

Kaplan's silent auction is May 19 at the Wine Loft at the Landmark in Greenwood Village. He has some impressive items this year from the Colorado Avlanche, Best Buy, The Ritz-Carlton and more. One hundred percent of the proceeds benefit the MS Society.

Kari Shrader and Anushka Ullal stopped by CBS4 studios to talk about the importance of Walk MS. Watch their interview in the video below:

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