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Clay Walker (Page 1 of 3)
 Live,
Laugh, Love
Clay Walker
Ernest Clayton (Clay) Walker, Jr. is
a talented man, with a large group of
dedicated fans; a good man, who has
created a non-profit organization, Band
against MS, dedicated to supporting
those living with multiple sclerosis;
and an extremely lucky man, with a wife,
Jessica, who makes sure that she says “I
love you” every time he injects the
Copaxone drug necessary to help treat
his own MS. MS is a disease that
affects the central nervous system—the
brain and spinal cord. It can cause
problems with muscle control and
strength, vision, balance, feeling and
thinking. Walker, who's in remission,
has what's called relapsing-remitting
MS.
Clay was first diagnosed in 1996 as he
was playing his usual pick-up basketball
game with friends. During the game, his
leg stopped working and he was
experiencing double vision. "I went for
an MRI and they found lesions and scars
on my brain. That's what multiple
sclerosis (MS) means—multiple scars,"
Walker says.
After the diagnosis of MS was confirmed,
his concerns turned to his young
daughter; would he be able to dance at
her wedding or even be around long
enough to give away the bride? And
even more, would he be able to play with
her and her two siblings to come. In
fact, his children (William, MaClay,
and Skylor) have embraced the situation
and can and do help inject their dad
with Copaxone.
BAND AGAINST MS
Clay’s organization, Band Against MS,
Inc., is a 501 (c) (3), a non-profit
public charity, committed to providing
educational information for those living
with multiple sclerosis, funding
programs researching a cure for multiple
sclerosis, and funding programs helping
those living with the disease.
More information about BAMS is available
at www.bandagainstms.org.
The five goals of BAMS currently
include:
-
To help provide hope for those
living with MS;
-
To educate those living with MS
about the importance of working with a
doctor to help manage MS;
-
To encourage individuals living
with MS to seek appropriate treatment;
-
To fund research seeking a cure
for the disease; and
-
To fund programs providing
assistance to people living with MS.
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