Thousands Lace Up For 'Walk MS' In City Park

DENVER (CBS4) - Thousands of people laced up their sneakers at City Park on Saturday to raise money to fight multiple sclerosis.

More than 9,000 walkers crowded City Park. They walked in hopes of finding a cure for MS.

"Multiple sclerosis is an auto immune disease. It's a chronic disease and it's unpredictable. What it does is it affects the central nervous system and disrupts the flow of information from the brain to the body," Carrie Nolan with the MS Society said.

The disease affects Coloradans the most compared to any other state. Saturday's fundraising goal for the walk was $1 million to help people like Gloria Rogozik.

"Life is very difficult. When you wake up in the morning you don't know whether you're going to be able to walk, whether you're going to be able to see. It's a burden for family members," Rogozik said.

"(For) most people there can be very hard times for long times and it's not necessarily visible to other people," said Dr. Deborah Fisher, Rogozik's physician.

With her doctor, friends and family by her side, it gave Rogozik hope for a cure during her lifetime.

New this year, some of the walkers were given two walking sticks donated by Sports Authority. It's helps people with MS walk upright as opposed to having to bend over while walking using a cane.

"It's incredible. I actually walk with my head up. I can see in front me instead of looking down all the time with a cane. It's much, much better. I finally see the sky again." Rogozik said.

Saturday's walk was one of many going on. With the thousands of people raising money with each step they take, the MS Society is close to reaching its million dollar goal.

At last check the MS Society had raised more than $750,000 for MS research. The money will benefit the nearly 90,000 people affected by MS in Colorado and Wyoming.

LINK: MS Society