Hi Everyone–
My name is Andrea Wulkan and on March 5th I'll be in Tampa, Florida with my teammates from Arslan's Army, rolling along the path at Lettuce Lake Park for the CCSVI Alliance's First Annual Walk-N-Roll. It's very exciting to be part of this weekend that was the brainchild of my friend, Nicki Watts.
I have done fund raising in the past, for the MS Society, the Heart Association, the American Diabetes Association, and even my son's sports teams. It's always been fun and for a good cause. But this time it's different because this time I feel as if I'm walking (or rolling) for US. People I can put names and faces to. For my friends who depend upon the CCSVI Alliance for solid, factual information so they can make informed decisions about their health. For the doctors who were courageous and stepped up to help people with MS, despite the many obstacles they had to overcome.
The information I got from the Alliance website helped me make the decision to have my condition corrected. On October 7, 2010 Dr. Bulant Arslan (hence the team name) performed angioplasty on three veins which were blocked by about 60% each. The day before my surgery I had lunch with Nicki and she mentioned that she wanted to organize a walk. Well, true to her word, she did it! How could I not participate? My results from the procedure were good – certainly my energy level is at an all time high! Mobility improvements come slowly but steadily. It is empowering to finally take control of my own health.
Dr. Arslan is hosting an educational symposium the day before the walk, and Dr. Michael Dake will be speaking, along with others. The weekend will be the perfect blend of education, fun, friends, and fund raising. I hope you'll join me to support the CCSVI Alliance so they can continue their work to advance our knowledge of CCSVI. If you can't attend, you can show your support by donating to a participant or team. Or you can be a virtual walker – or hey, be a sponsor!
Here's a link to my walk page to learn more about why this is something so close to my heart. And check out my photos!
http://walkandrolltampa2011.ccsvi.org/ccsvi/participantpage.asp?uid=5&fundid=2
See you in Tampa!