Edison, GA, native creates Albany, GA, Multiple Sclerosis group, hosts walk to raise awareness

ALBANY – Annette Robinson was first diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2003. She was 42 years old and had no prior hints as to what her life would soon become with the chronic illness.

The 62-year-old Edison native was at work when she started to feel light-headed and began dropping things that she was trying to place on shelves. Her family had Robinson taken to the hospital by ambulance, where she was diagnosed with MS. It was a condition she’d never even heard of despite her career in the medical field.

MS is a chronic central nervous system disease, affecting the brain and spinal cord. It causes communication problems between the brain and the rest of the body, according to the Mayo Clinic. There’s treatment but no cure for MS.

Robinson often struggles with her speech and sometimes is unable to leave her house when the disease targets her muscles, making it difficult to walk.

“My journey’s been up and down, up and down,” she said. “It is very important to keep up with your body and know what’s going on.”

Robinson said it’s a disease that in many ways is invisible – the way it sneaks up on its hosts and the general lack of knowledge about it.

After her diagnosis, Robinson began participating in MS walks in Albany sponsored by the national Making Strides for MS chapter. She said it was a great way for people around southwest Georgia who live with MS to come together.

However, in 2016 the walks ceased. Robinson said she found out the group was no longer coming to Albany. So she decided to start her own program, Making Strides for MS, within the city.

“There are a lot of us who have MS here in Albany and surrounding towns; so, I thought it was important we keep it up so we can stay in touch with each other,” she said.

Regina Monds, Making Strides for MS’ media director, said the Albany group’s first walk was hosted in 2017.

This year, the group will meet at the Government Center in downtown Albany at 8 a.m. Saturday to support community members with MS by walking. Each year the “MS warriors” form a team of family and friends. The largest team gets a trophy.

Monds said the walk brings out people from churches, schools, businesses and even college programs. She said there are usually 50-60 attendees.

Robinson said it’s important to raise awareness about the disease as well as connect those who live with MS.

Monds said there is an entire community of MS warriors right here in the Albany area.

“A lot of them feel down and alone sometimes and like they don’t have anybody to talk to,” Minds said. “But, we are more than willing to talk to them or listen to them.”

Monds said there were no other programs like it centered in southwest Georgia.

“We would like for the ones with MS to come aboard because this is a great support that we have,” she said.

The nonprofit holds a support group on the second Thursday of each month and hosts different events to raise awareness throughout the year.

Right now, it sees about 15 regular attendees, but Monds said they are looking to grow and welcome people to join them on the walk.

Robinson said that while she won’t be able to physically walk at the event, she is excited to be surrounded by everyone who supports her and the other local MS warriors.

Photo Courtesy of Regina Monds