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Oakville mother grateful to MS walkers By Dominik Kurek OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF 3 · Friday, April 16, 2010 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.oakvillebeaver.com Oakville's Anne Damon-Armstrong is very grateful when she sees the hundreds of people each year participating at the annual MS (multiple sclerosis) Walk in Oakville. And, unlike the previous four years where she's walked to raise money for research into MS and for services for individuals, like herself, living with the disease, this year she will be on the other side of the registration table. "For me, emotionally, it's very overwhelming because you see all these people that are out there for the same reason, to help find a cure," she said. "Everyone's in a good mood, everyone's happy. They're all there for the same reason and I'm very thankful to everybody who does the walk. I think it's a great cause and the money goes to research to finding a cure." The mother of two will be volunteering for the MS Society, an organization she's become very familiar with over the past few years, to help get the walk moving. The walk takes place on Sunday, April 18, beginning at the Central West Specialized Developmental Services on Bond Street (formerly Oaklands Regional Centre) at 53 Bond St. Walk Day check-in and breakfast begin at 8:30 a.m. Opening ceremonies will be at 9 a.m. while the walk will begin at 9:30 a.m. Lunch will begin at 10:30 a.m. and awards will be presented during closing ceremonies at 11:25 a.m. SUBMITTED PHOTO FAMILY PORTRAIT: Anne DamonArmstrong with her two children Liam, 6, and Olivia, 4. Though signs began showing earlier, Damon-Armstrong found out she had MS in July of 2004, about a year after her first child, Liam Armstrong, was born. She woke up in the middle of the night that summer realizing something was wrong with her. She was paralyzed on her left side and, feeling alarmed, she woke up her husband, Todd Armstrong. They thought she was having a stroke and they called the ambulance. She was taken to Trillium Health Centre in Etobicoke, where, after a series of tests, doctors discovered that she had MS. Aside from the paralysis she also experienced double vision and a feeling of pins and needles prickling her. She spent six weeks in the hospital rehabilitating. Her mobility returned, but she had to relearn how to use her body. When she left the hospital, she continued physiotherapy for several months and had to use a walker to move around. There were symptoms of something being wrong prior to the paralyzing incident, she said. After having her first child and prior to the unexpected paralysis, Damon-Armstrong experienced fatigue that made it difficult for her to work. She saw a doctor several times, but nothing was found. When she was diagnosed with MS after her paralysis, she didn't go on any disease modifying drugs because she and her husband wanted another child. After they had a daughter, Olivia Armstrong, she went on medication. However, in 2007 she experienced another immobilizing incident where she lost her ability to walk. She's recovered since then and after going on a different drug has not had another similar incident since then. But, she said, she still suffers from fatigue. Instead of returning to her old job, she opened up her own portrait photography business where, as her own boss, she has control over how much time she spends working. She tells others who have MS, "What got me through is having a positive attitude. You're going to have good days and bad days, it is a crappy disease." She said a thought that reassures her positive outlook is that MS research has come a long way, even in just the few years that she's had the disease, and the researchers are doing all that they can to fight the disease. "I believe they will have a cure in my lifetime." More than 600 participants are expected to take part in this year's 11th annual Oakville MS Walk. It's hoped the local walkers will raise more than $175,000. MS is the most common disease of the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord) among young adults in Canada. More than 75,000 Canadians live with MS and three families a day hear the news that MS is now part of their lives, according to a release from the MS Society of Canada. The MS Walk is a family-oriented event that combines fundraising with fun and community spirit. Participants can choose from varying route lengths and a wheelchair-accessible option is also available. To register for the MS Walk, or for more information, visit www.mssociety.ca/ontario or www.mswalks.ca. LOOKING FORWARD with FASHION