(above) Garwood couple Aaron and Laura Cohen have reached the $1 million fundraising milestone with their participation in Walk MS: West Orange.
Fundraising Milestone for Multiple Sclerosis Research
Submitted by Daphne Mack
After nearly two decades of participating in Walk MS: West Orange, Aaron and Laura Cohen, of Garwood, have reached the $1 million fundraising milestone and were presented the Circle of Distinction award at the National MS Society’s annual Leadership Conference.
“Raising this amount of money is no small feat and truly is a labor of love,” said Tonya Hall, National MS Society President, New Jersey Metro. “We couldn’t be more honored to show our appreciation by recognizing the Cohens for their commitment to creating a world free of MS.”
Multiple sclerosis is an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system. There is currently no cure for MS. Symptoms vary from person to person and range from numbness and tingling, to mobility challenges, blindness and paralysis. An estimated 1 million people live with MS in the United States.
Aaron, who began experiencing symptoms of multiple sclerosis in the 1970s, well before there were MRIs to definitively diagnose the disease much less treatment options to slow its progression, is now living with secondary progressive MS and uses a walker or scooter to get around.
“I live with the fantasy that not only will MS be cured, but that they will also be able to revitalize my nerves that have been destroyed by years of demyelination, and I’ll be able to get back some of the function I’ve lost,” he said.
Laura said their involvement with Walk MS: West Orange began in 2002 after spotting a brochure for it while taking her son to the barber shop.
“I said I could do this but, I needed to ask Aaron first because not everyone knew he had MS,” she said. “He was on board with it and it basically became his coming out celebration where we raised $2,000 with family that first year.”
The next year they became team Mitzvah Squad and have not looked back.
