By Donald Wittkowski
One of the biggest shocks that Lu Ann Parkin gave her family came in 2013, when she told everyone she was traveling by herself to South Korea.
“No one could believe it,” said Parkin’s cousin, Rose Marie Quirk. “We all said, ‘Are you out of your mind?’’’
Parkin, 58, of Millville, laughed at Quirk’s comments and said reassuringly that she had a great time on her trip.
By now, Parkin’s family is becoming less and less surprised by what she wants to do. For instance, she is thinking of taking scuba diving lessons next.
Showing her determination once again, Parkin, who has multiple sclerosis, joined hundreds of people Sunday on the Ocean City Boardwalk for the annual “Walk MS” benefit to raise money to fight the disease.
Parkin, who uses a motorized scooter to get around, was diagnosed with MS in 1989, when she was only 30. She noted that her MS often causes numbness or tingling sensations and can also leave her feeling weak. She also deals with bouts of depression and fatigue.
However, Parkin stressed that with her family’s support, “I try to do as much as I can.”
“Nothing slows her down. She’s our rock star,” Quirk added. “No matter what, she’s always happy and upbeat. Nothing has stopped her from doing what she wants to do.”
Quirk, of Egg Harbor Township, accompanied Parkin on the MS walk Sunday. They were joined by Parkin’s sister, Michelle Heckendorn, of Cherry Hill, and Quirk’s sister, Marilinn Lacovara, of Egg Harbor Township.
They began the walk holding a handwritten sign that said, “Cousins Against MS.” They were dressed in orange baseball caps, orange scarves and orange flower necklaces. Orange is the color that symbolizes MS awareness. The word “Hope” was embroidered on their caps in sequins. It was Quirk who decorated the caps.
According to the National MS Society, multiple sclerosis is an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system that “disrupts the flow of information within the brain and between the brain and body.”
MS is incurable. The cause remains unknown, although researchers suspect the disease is triggered by an unidentified environmental factor in a person who is genetically predisposed to MS.
“The progress, severity and specific symptoms of MS in any one person cannot yet be predicted,” The National MS Society says on its website.
Most people with MS do not become severely disabled or paralyzed, allowing them to continue to walk under their own power, or with some assistance from a cane, crutches or a walker, the website says.
Linda Boyle, 57, of Cape May, was diagnosed with MS in 1992, but considers herself one of the lucky ones because she can still walk.
“I don’t have an answer,” Boyle said of why she remains able to walk 25 years after her diagnosis. “I guess the man upstairs is helping me out. I feel very fortunate. I have a great support system through my family.”
Boyle was joined by 25 friends and family members at the MS walk. Boyle’s sister, Denise Prendergast, of Cape May, said the entire family is inspired by her fight against MS.
“We are so proud of her,” Prendergast said.
In all, about 700 people participated in the MS walk in Ocean City. The National MS Society held 18 similar walks Sunday throughout South Jersey and the Delaware Valley to raise an estimated $1.5 million for MS-related programs.
“It’s a rallying point for people living with MS, in addition to raising funds and awareness in the fight against MS,” said Nicole Lewis, an assistant vice president with Bike MS of the National MS Society.
For its next major event in Ocean City, the National MS Society will hold its annual “City to Shore” fundraiser on Sept. 23 and 24. The event goes from Cherry Hill to Ocean City and attracts about 7,000 cyclists.
