CHICAGO, Sept. 6, 2013— Six years after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, Peoria resident Becky Zentko is once again joining hundreds of other walkers and fundraisers for Walk MS, the largest annual fundraiser of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Greater Illinois Chapter, this Sunday, September 8, at Tower Park in Peoria Heights. Peoria’s Walk MS event is part of a 13-site network of walks taking place throughout Illinois, bringing over 12,000 people together with a goal of raising over $2.7 million for MS research, programs and services. Zentko and her team, Bright Future, have already raised nearly $2,000 this year, making them one of the top fundraising teams in the Peoria area. Zentko and her team will help kick-off opening ceremonies beginning at 12:45 p.m.

WHAT: Walk MS 2013 – the rallying point of the movement to end multiple sclerosis and largest annual fundraiser of the National MS Society, Greater Illinois Chapter. The two autumn Walk MS events (Peoria and Urbana) combined with the 11 Walks that took place in the spring are expected to raise more than $2.7 million for MS research, programs and services.

WHEN: Sunday, September 8 – Registration begins at noon, opening ceremonies at 12:45 p.m., and the walk begins at 1:00 p.m.

WHERE: Tower Park, 1222 East Kingman Avenue, Peoria Heights, IL

WHO: The National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Greater Illinois Chapter

WHY: Multiple sclerosis is an unpredictable, often disabling, autoimmune disease of the central nervous system that interrupts the flow of information between the brain and the body and stops people from moving. Proceeds from Walk MS go toward research, programs and services that improve the lives of the 20,000 people in Illinois affected by MS.