GBS (Guillain-Barré Syndrome) or CIDP (Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy) can be a very scary diagnosis to receive.  GBS is characterized by the rapid onset of numbness, weakness, and often, paralysis of the legs, arms, breathing muscles, and face. Paralysis is ascending, meaning that it travels up the limbs from fingers and toes towards the torso. Loss of reflexes, such as the knee jerk, is also common.

The cause of GBS and CIDP is unknown, but about 50% of cases occur shortly after a microbial infection (viral or bacterial), some as simple and common as the flu or food poisoning.  Some theories suggest an autoimmune trigger, in which the patient’s defense system of antibodies and white blood cells are called into action against the body, damaging myelin (nerve covering or insulation), leading to numbness and weakness.

The very first GBS | CIDP Foundation International Walk & Roll is coming to our area on Saturday, October 19, 2019, at Spring Forest Park – 4203 Spring Forest Rd, Raleigh, NC 27616.   Registration opens at 9:00 a.m. and the walk begins at 10:00 a.m.  Come out and meet Corbin and other families just like his, who have been impacted by GBS or CIDP.

The Walk & Roll for GBS|CIDP is a leisurely, one-mile walk (since folks with GBS or CIDP often have mobility issues). Our goal is simple.  We are walking for scientific innovation, a quicker diagnosis and better treatments for patients. We are walking for RESEARCH.   And each walk is one mile closer to overcoming the challenges of living with GBS and CIDP*.

Invite your friends, family, neighbors and coworkers to join our mission, walk a mile, and have fun too!  There will be freebies (while supplies last!) and a raffle where you have a chance to win some great prizes – including a $100 Visa gift card!

There are several ways to get involved:

-Register as an individual walker or form a team at www.gbs-cidp.org/event/2019-raleigh-walk-roll/ (registration is FREE – a donation is not required to participate).

-Can’t attend, but still want to help?  You can make a contribution in any amount to support the Walk & Roll here:  www.gbs-cidp.org/event/2019-raleigh-walk-roll/.