FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE PHOTOS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST Contact: Emily B. Rouse Director, Communications emily.rouse@nmss.org (dir) 202.375.

5605 (fax) 202.296.3425 Community shows commitment to Join the Movement at Walk MS 2013 ROCKVILLE, Maryland On Saturday, April 13th Rockville will host the 25th annual Walk MS presented by Booz Allen Hamilton benefitting the National Multiple Sclerosis Societys National Capital Chapter. The morning festivities will include dance fitness warm-ups from Synergy Dance Fitness and a program hosted by Reporter Brianne Carter from Official Walk MS Media Partner ABC7/WJLA. At 9 a.m., walkers will depart from the Rockville Town Square for a three mile route through Historic Rockville, concluding with a finish line celebration complete with cheering volunteers, lunch from Subway, and music. The walk, one of six Walk MS events taking place in the D.C. metropolitan area in April, benefits the National MS Societys mission to create a world free of MS. While the walk has no registration fee or fundraising minimum required, participants are encouraged to collect pledges. Funds raised will directly support local services for the 18,000 people in our community affected by MS, as well as fund vital research initiatives to find a cure, said National Capital Chapter President Chris Broullire. This years walk is expected to raise $1.3 million across six local sites. Melis Gumustas became involved in Walk MS because of her mother, who was diagnosed with primary progressive MS in 1991 and passed away from complications of the disease in 2008. Gumustas recalls how her mothers diagnosis forced her to stop working and limited her physical activities. Despite these limitations, Gumustas remembers that her mother gave all of herself on days when she had energy and dedicated much of her time to volunteering and raising money for the National MS Society. She was really hopeful that they would find a cure, Gumustas says. I dont think she ever gave up hope. As a team captain and long-time Walk MS participant of more than 16 years, Gumustas says she is looking forward to seeing the community come together to support those affected by MS at this years event in Rockville. more

As is demonstrated by Melis Gumustas, Walk MS presented by Booz Allen Hamilton is about more than walking it is about raising funds to support research, promote awareness, advocate for change, and fund local programs and services. In addition to the thousands of individuals coming together at Walk MS, many local businesses support the efforts of the National MS Society. Some of the top local supporters of Walk MS include presenting sponsor Booz Allen Hamilton as well as Wegmans and Geico. Not only do these companies provide sponsorship and in-kind donations, but their employees have Joined the Movement by forming teams to volunteer and participate at the local sites, connecting with their community to bring us closer to a world free of MS. About Multiple Sclerosis Multiple sclerosis, an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system, interrupts the flow of information within the brain, and between the brain and body. Symptoms range from numbness and tingling to blindness and paralysis. The progress, severity, and specific symptoms of MS in any one person cannot yet be predicted, but advances in research and treatment are moving us closer to a world free of MS. Most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, with at least two to three times more women than men being diagnosed with the disease. MS affects more than 2.1 million people worldwide. Studies show that early and ongoing treatment with an FDA-approved therapy can reduce future disease activity and improve quality of life for many people with multiple sclerosis. Talk to your health care professional and contact the National MS Society at www.MSNationalCaptial.org or (202) 2965363 to learn about ways to help manage multiple sclerosis and about current research that may one day reveal a cure. About the National Multiple Sclerosis Society The National MS Society addresses the challenges of each person affected by MS. To fulfill this mission, the Society funds cutting-edge research, drives change through advocacy, facilitates professional education, collaborates with MS organizations around the world, and provides programs and services designed to help people with MS and their families move forward with their lives. In 2012 alone, the Society invested $43 million to support 350 research projects around the world while providing programs and services that assisted more than one million people. The Society is dedicated to achieving a world free of MS. Locally, the National Capital Chapter provides a wide range of vital services in the areas of counseling; education; employment; information and referral; health and wellness; public policy development and advocacy; and financial assistance to the many thousands of people with MS and their families who live in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. For more information about MS or the National Capital Chapter, please call (202) 296-5363 or visit www.MSNationalCaptial.org. ###