LAS CRUCES — The MS Walk held Saturday at Young Park Pavilion, hosted by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society promotes awareness and educates people dealing with the disease, as well as people who have never been affected by the disease.

Organizers of the walk aim to raise nearly $20,000 to help support cutting-edge research and provide programs and services for people with MS — an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system. MS interrupts the flow of information within the brain and the body, and symptoms differ from person to person in their consistency and their progression. not everyone with MS is affected in the same way, but symptoms can range from tingling and numbness to blindness and paralysis.

While the cause of MS is unknown, it affects more than 400,000 people in the U.S. and 2.1 million worldwide. Most people diagnosed with MS are between the ages of 20 and 50, with at least two to three times more women being diagnosed than men.

“They call it the sneaky disease, because it sneaks up on you, and you get the attacks when you least expect them,” said Jamie Phillips, 49, who was diagnosed with MS in April 2005.

Former Aggie basketball standout Kelsey Crooks, 29, was also diagnosed with MS about four years ago. Kelsey will be the speaker at the MS Walk. Crooks, who once powered through daily practices for both basketball and soccer — he was an all-district star in both sports at Oñate High School — is now forced to use a cane on a daily basis, due to his lack of balance.

MS Walk Committee Chair Katie Baker said the MS Walk last year attracted around 100 people. This year, Baker said Mayor Ken Miyagishima is scheduled to attend the event, as well as several organizations and clubs, which she hopes will draw in a bigger crowd.

“The National Honor Society is going to be doing all of our volunteer work, we have the mariachis coming, the performing dance team is coming, ROTC is coming, cheerleaders and more, ” Baker said.

“An MS Walk is about rallying the community together to make them understand that we have a very good cause and we need people to be aware of that,” Phillips said.

Baker said there will also be checkpoints set up throughout the walk that will provide food and water to participants.

Baker stressed that anyone who would like to participate in the MS Walk in any way, needs to register first.

Anyone who would like to participate in the walk, volunteer or simply make a donation can register at walkMSnewmexico.org. Day-of event registration begins at 8 a.m. and the walk will start at 9 a.m.

Baker said there is no cost to register and participants can be as involved as they want to be. Dogs are also welcome at the walk.

Alexia Severson can be reached at (575) 541-5453.

Walk MS: Las Cruces

To register, volunteer or donate: Visit walkMSnewmexico.org

When: Saturday, registration begins at 8 a.m.; walk begins at 9:30 a.m.

Where: Young Park Pavilion

Dogs welcome

Additional info: (800) 344-4876