MS Society Gets Fundraising Community Partner

AURORA, Colo. (CBS4) - The Medical Center of Aurora as well as the Centennial Medical Plaza are announcing that the National Multiple Sclerosis Society will be their community partner for the year. The Partnership could net as much as $71,000 for the MS Society in Colorado and came about, in part, because of one young couple.

Daniel Lifshen and Emily Crowley are a power house couple when it comes to fundraising. Over the course of 3 years, they've raised about $55,000 for the National MS Society. They have an award for each year of their fundraising.

"It's exciting for us to be able to make a difference and really try hard to fundraise and to educate people in general about MS," Crowley told CBS4.

They've raised the money through Walk MS. Their team is called "Down with Disease" and every year it's grown stronger adding more friends and family.

"It's really an overwhelming experience for me to just walk and be there with so many people that I love," Lifshen explained.

For Lifshen, Walk MS is one of the ways he's fighting back against a disease that steals his health a little every day. He was diagnosed in 2007 when he was just 23 years old. He'd has some tingling in his cheek and legs.

"I was devastated, at first I thought my life was over."

His life was far from over, but each day brings new challenges. Lifshen still suffers from numbness in his legs and fingers. He had a bout of blindness in one eye last summer and he wakes up wondering every day if some new symptom has developed.

"It's been a rocky road. It's had a lot of ups and downs, a lot of tumultuous times. A lot of uncertainty."

"But the great thing about Daniel is that he is taking it in stride, instead of letting it take him down," Crowley added.

Crowley works at the Medical Center of Aurora. She nominated the National MS Society for the hospital's community partnership. She's seen the hospital raise tens of thousands of dollars for other worthy organizations and hoped to make that happen for MS patients across the state.

"For local programs, local research, so it's really making sure that we are helping the local communities," Crowley said.

Between the Medical Center of Aurora and the Centennial Medical Plaza, they hope to raise $71,500 over the course of the year. They'll hold fundraisers like a bowling tournament, a car show and a kickball tournament. They'll also field teams for the National MS Society's fundraisers like Walk MS, Bike MS, and Hike MS. Daniel and Emily will also be heading up their "Down with Disease" team - all with the goal of making a significant contribution to stop a deadly disease.

"I hope that money goes towards research and helping finding a cure. One of the hardest things about MS is that there is no cure," Lifshen said.

The Colorado chapter of the National MS Society is hosting a couple of fundraising events this spring.

Walk MS is Saturday, May 7th in Denver. The Down with Disease team is already raising funds for the Walk.

Bike MS is the weekend of June 26th & 27th. Registration is open for that event too.

-- Written for the Web by CBS4 Special Projects Producer Libby Smith