Despite the overcast skies, Worthen Arena was lit up by 250 participants gathering for the annual East Central Indiana Multiple Sclerosis Walk on Saturday. Each participant got a number to pin on his or her back, reading "I am Walking for _____." That single line held a lot of weight as "mom," "dad," "my sister" and countless other names were scrawled across it. For Bob Hartley, owner of the downtown art hub The Artist Within, his daughter, Shannon Hartley, was his motivation.
"This is a personal thing for me," Bob Hartley said. "There are always so many walks, and unless you know someone, it's just another walk. Since [my daughter] was diagnosed, this has been really close to me. MS is a disease without a cure or a known cause."
Three years ago, Shannon Hartley noticed something was different on her routine runs. She began inexplicably falling, at one point injuring her foot. When she went to the hospital because of her injury, she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. MS is a disease in which the immune system mistakenly attacks body tissue, ultimately affecting the central nervous system. Problems with coordination are only one of many symptoms.
Since being diagnosed, Shannon Hartley has focused on traveling with her 11-year-old son, going to destinations such as China, Italy and the rainforest. Their goal is to see the wonders of the world.
"I have good days, and I have bad days," Shannon Hartley said. "It's a challenge, but I'm very fortunate and doing well."
Shannon Hartley has participated in walks since her diagnoses. One that stands out in Bob Hartley's mind is when she went to Philadelphia for an MS walk when she was first diagnosed. Her son was 9 years old at the time.
"He knew that she had MS but didn't associate it with being a crippling disease," Bob Hartley said. "You could see him looking around at people in wheelchairs and wondering, 'Is this going to be my mom?' It was hard for me too."
Team Artist Within consisted of 15 members this year and raised $2,500 to $3,000 for the MS Society. The team held a silent, week-long auction, which included anything from local artwork and crafts to gift certificates for downtown restaurants. It also took donations at Artist Within, and there was a table in the Atrium collecting funds.
Four senior public relations majors - Maggie Johnson, Stacey Whittaker, Beth Nogosek and Lindsey Frech - took on Team Artist Within as a client for a class project. They helped collect donations, organize and publicize the team to raise as much money as possible. Johnson said last year Team Artist Within made the largest contribution in East Central Indiana with $4,000. One concern for the team was that they wouldn't hit the mark this year.
"I know Bob [Hartley] was worried we wouldn't raise as much because of the state of the economy, but everything went really well," Johnson said. "It started out just as class work, but turned out to be something really cool. I'm glad we got to be a part of something so successful."
The rain weather made the location of the event - Worthen Arena- a success. Because of the arena's accessibility, Nogosek said it was a great location for those in wheelchairs, some of whom have MS.
All proceeds went toward research for treatment and cures for MS. Shannon Hartley said she has already seen one improvement in her life due to research. In the past she needed a painful needle injection in her stomach daily, but now all she needs to do now is take a pill due to medical advancements.
"It is critical that money is raised for the MS Society," Shannon Hartley said. "While they've had great advancements ... it's still not a cure. The money goes toward seeing if they can find the true source of MS. I am so grateful for the money raised to go toward this."
For Bob Hartley, he is very aware that MS is a progressive disease. He said he hopes the funds going to research can benefit his daughter swiftly.
"It is still in the back of my mind," Bob Hartley said. "Will they come up with a cure before the disease gets advanced?"
People who were directly affected by MS and had been diagnosed participated in the walk. Shannon Hartley lives in New Jersey and was not at the event, but she received a call from her dad during the walk.
"It's wonderful; it means the world to me," Shannon Hartley said. "Not only is it great that my dad is showing support for me but that the community is coming together for this."
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