What the ***?

[dyin_myelin]

Why is a non-traction medium used to promote awareness of a disease that cripples you? I know not everyone has mobility issues and caretakers/concerned parties participate but it still seems ironic.

[JerryD]

Please elaborate on your post. Are you talking about 'Walk MS' ? I don't understand your term...'non-traction medium'.

[dyin_myelin]

Please elaborate on your post. Are you talking about 'Walk MS' ? I don't understand your term...'non-traction medium'.

Muckfest, where an obstacle course is created through mud ("mudrun").

[TLC_31]

I’m not sure the “muckfest” runs are intended to promote awareness as much as they are to raise money. Such events have boomed in popularity in the past few years, and perhaps its better that the NMSS cash in on the craze than someone else.

I suppose you could argue that for someone severely affected by MS, just walking across the street requires the effort that “normals” exert to complete the “muckfest course. So you could bring attention to the disease by making that point, although I’m not aware that’s done.

[KatieAgain]

Absolutely money! Things like this usually generate a lot of cash. When I was running, I would have paid to participate in a MuckFest. People like me loved stuff like this. I wish I could do it now!

Brings people out that would not normally show up for the walk/run unless someone they knew had MS.

[MSer102]

I don't think these "awareness" events do anything to raise awareness of any condition. The people who show up or solicit donations are the ones who have the condition or know somebody who has it. They're already "aware". The people who show up just to run, walk, or mud wrestle or whatever do it because they like to perform the activity not because they know or care about the disease. And nobody who doesn't know what the condition is compelled to learn anything about it just because there's a run/walk/etc. I agree that these are money raising events not "awareness" events so what the event consists of is what raises money not necessarily anything that has anything to do with the condition itself.

[MSwhileOverseas]

MSer102, You are exactly right. Until February 14, 2013 the most I ever heard about MS was when I donated for several coworkers and friends who rode the Houston MS150 over the last 10 years but they all did it for the challenge and not because MS effected them personally. I would have never imagined when I was writing those small checks back then that I would have MS!