Teen will walk to help find cure for multiple sclerosis

Jared Belasco will participate in the MS Walk in April to help find a cure for multiple sclerosis. Jared's inspiration is his grandmother, Arlene Grossman, who has lived with the disease for 20 years.

MARLBORO - On April 22 in Belmar, Marlboro teenager Jared Belasco will participate in the MS Walk to help find a cure for multiple sclerosis.

Jared will captain Grandma's Cookies, a team of friends and family members that will raise money to help end the devastating effects of MS.

According to a press release, Jared's inspiration is his grandmother, Arlene Grossman, who has lived with the disease for 20 years.

"For my bar mitzvah project, I decided to organize a team to participate in the MS walk. The National MS Society is important to me because my grandmother has multiple sclerosis. I would like to do anything I can to help find a cure for her and others that are diagnosed with this disease," Jared said.

To date, Jared and Grandma's Cookies have already exceeded their initial goal of $2,500 by raising more than $3,200. While Jared and his team walk, his grandmother will be there to support him while she volunteers her time at the event.

According to the press release, the MS Walk raises money through the collection of pledges by walkers to support research and programs for people with MS. Sixty cents of every $1 raised by the Mid-Jersey chapter's walk will remain in the area to help the 4,000 local residents living with MS. The rest will support research and national programs for people with MS.

Multiple sclerosis is a chronic disease of the central nervous system for which there is no cure. MS interrupts the flow of information between the brain and the body and stops people from moving. People with MS, which is usually diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, face unpredictable symptoms that can range from numbness and blurred vision to paralysis and blindness. The National MS Society supports programs that help ensure people with MS will live their lives with as little disruption as possible. The society advocates for the empowerment of people with MS.

For more information visit http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR?team_id=24310&pg=team&fr_id=2900.