CROWN POINT | Peggy Lawrence of Crown Point was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1998.

She struggled with the internal battle of telling others about her condition because she did not want anyone to pity her. She kept her diagnosis hidden for six years before finally feeling comfortable enough to disclose her circumstances. She now regrets this decision, because in not disclosing this disease she denied others the opportunity to join her in her endeavor to fight MS. She now realizes that the love and support she receives from family and friends is a vital component of living with MS.

Because MS is such an unpredictable disease, each day brings new challenges for Lawrence. Through treatment, physical therapy, and healthy eating habits she has been able to stay independent and enjoy an active lifestyle. Her hobbies include swimming, biking and enjoying life with her two daughters; Shawna, 25, and Emily, 22, who both live in Chicago.

Lawrence openly fights MS by creating awareness and volunteering for the National MS Society. She is an active volunteer in the walk MS, Region Idol Contest for MS, Women Against MS Luncheon and Christmas Giftwrap for MS. She is team captain for her walk MS team of 50 walkers, and last year her team raised approximately $5,000 to help fight MS.

Her belief is that one person can indeed make the difference in the lives of others...her favorite quote is by Gandhi, "You must be the change you wish to see in the world."

Lawrence will continue her efforts to create a world free of MS at the 2008 Christopher & Banks Northwest Indiana walk MS presented by EMD Serono/Pfizer and Northern Indiana Neurological Institute. The event will take place on Sept. 14 at Purdue University Calumet's Fitness & Recreation Center. Walker check-in will begin at 8:30 a.m., with both the 1.3 and 2.6-mile walk beginning at 10:00 a.m.

Other top sponsors of the Walk MS include Fair Oaks Farms, Methodist Hospitals NeuroScience Institute, Albert's Diamond Jewelers, and Community Healthcare System.

Most of the dollars raised through the walk MS help the more than 1,600 individuals with MS locally, and the remaining funds are dedicated to nationally-funded programs and research for a cure. Through its home office and 50-state network of chapters, the National MS Society funds more MS research, provides more services to people with MS, offers more professional education and furthers more advocacy efforts than any other MS organization in the world.

Most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, just when they are developing families or careers. Symptoms range from numbness and tingling to blindness and paralysis. The advancement, severity and specific symptoms of MS in any one person cannot yet be predicted, but advances in research and treatment are moving us closer to a world free of MS.

For information on walking or volunteering for the Northwest Indiana walk MS, call the Indiana State Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society at (219) 322-6772 or (800) 344-4867, or visit www.nationalmssociety.org/ini.

- For The Times