Mary Schott (center) of Elgin was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis on April 1, 2016. This year, she is participating in the Walk MS in Cedar Falls on Saturday, April 27, to raise money for groundbreaking research and to help others with MS. She won’t be doing the walk alone as she will be joined by friends and family to form Team Elgin. The team include (l-r) Lexi Moser, Tina Anderson, Bailey Moser, Schott, Cindy Torkelson, Tammy Moser, and Jeanne Kruckenberg. Not pictured are Madison Imoehl, Kay Schmitt, Lexi Frieden, and Brenda Olson. (Chris DeBack photo)
Schott walks to raise money for MS
By Chris Deback
cdeback@thefayettecountyunion.com
It was no April Fools joke when Mary Schott of Elgin was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) on April 1, 2016.
Three years later, Schott is gearing up to participate in the 2019 Walk MS in Cedar Falls to raise money to drive groundbreaking research and help those affected by MS.
MS is a disease where a person’s immune system attacks and eats away at the protective covering surrounding a nerve. In Schott’s case, it is affecting her ability to see out of her right eye.
“I went completely blind in my right eye, due to optic neuritis, which was when it was discovered that I had MS,” said Schott. “It was like a bad April Fools joke when the diagnosis came down.
“The best way I have seen it described is it’s like an electrical cord and the outside coating of the cord is being attacked and the electrical current gets shorted out,” The Elgin resident added. “Information going to and from the bain gets delayed or doesn’t cross correctly, which causes all the other symptoms you have.”