On June 12, Sunday at the Riverside Park in Manhattan Fernando Ferrer, former NYC mayoral candidate and MG patient, joined hundreds of walkers at the 2011 TriState MG Walk. According to the sources, more than 1,200 walkers had registered across the nation and raised nearly $300,000 for this awareness and fundraising campaign that has taken place in Florida, Wisconsin and in the upcoming TriState area and many more MG Walks are planned for later in 2011 and 2012 around the country.
What is the aim of the campaign? The funds raised are to help the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America, MGFA, to continue their mission to provide programs to assist those living with MG and fund much needed research, in a truly inspirational day of sharing, caring and fun. This will hopefully provide hope for the thousands of families forced to face the challenges caused by myasthenia gravis.
Why and what actually is MGFA? Answering to this, it is the only national volunteer health agency dedicated solely to the fight against myasthenia gravis and to serving patients with MG which has over 20 Chapters around the US serving patients & their families and caregivers through support groups and programs. MG can affect anyone irrespective of their age, race or gender. Speaking about the common form of MG is a chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disorder that is characterized by fluctuating weakness of the voluntary muscle groups, and can affect muscles that control eye movements, eyelids, chewing, swallowing, coughing and facial expression as well as the arms legs and at most cases breathing too. As per the survey 1 in 5000 people is affected by the disease in US.
The efforts of MGFA to be appreciated as they are trying to find a cure for myasthenia gravis and closely related disorders, improving treatment options and providing information and support to people with myasthenia gravis through research, education, community programs and advocacy.
