April 6, 2006

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina volleyball team will participate in the National MS Society’s 2006 MS Walk in Columbia, S.C., on Saturday. The five-mile walk begins at 9 a.m. at the South Carolina State Museum.

The Gamecocks will be walking with team Jersey Girl & Company in support of Tara Lein, their head certified athletic trainer of four years who suffers from relapsing/remitting multiple sclerosis.

“Part of the responsibility of being a Gamecock is to give back to the community,” head coach Nancy Somera said. “The MS Walk has a special meaning for us because we have someone in our volleyball family who is directly affected by MS. Our goal is to raise $2,500, and if each player and staff member can reach their individual goal of $100 we should be able to contribute half of Jersey Girl & Company’s goal.”

MS is thought to be an autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system (CNS). The CNS consists of the brain, spinal cord and the optic nerves. Surrounding and protecting the nerve fibers of the CNS is a fatty tissue called myelin, which helps nerve fibers conduct electrical impulses. In MS, myelin is lost in multiple areas, leaving scar tissue called sclerosis.

All proceeds are used to fund programs, services and research geared at finding a cure for multiple sclerosis. Last year’s MS Walk generated nearly $50 million nationwide among approximately 200,000 participants.

“We owe it to Tara because of all she has done for us during the past four years,” USC captain Shonda Cole said. “It’s only a small token of our appreciation toward her.”

Approximately 400,000 Americans acknowledge having MS, and every week about 200 people are diagnosed. Worldwide, MS may affect 2.5 million individuals.

More information on the 2006 MS Walk can be found by visiting the National MS Society’s Web site, www.nationalmssociety.org.