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Dr. Joel Edwards has lived an adventurous and fulfilling life.
He still does.
The good doctor has helped others in more ways than most could imagine: not only in his medical practice in Mocksville and beyond, but strangers around the world on mission trips too numerous to mention.
Along the way, he’s had plenty of fun. A lot of it included exercise and adventure. He was a runner. He was a cyclist. He was a swimmer. He trained for a triathalon. Life was good.
He’s hiked to the top of Mount Killimanjaro, for goodness sake.
Despite living with MS, Joel Edwards still lives that life of adventure. A bit slower maybe, but he’s still getting out there.
And you can help others who have the condition that affects the central nervous system this Saturday, as Dr. Edwards hosts the Walk for A Cure for MS at The Park at Lake Louise, a children’s playground area and walking trail adjacent of Colin Creek Golf Club off US 64 East, Mocksville.
Donations will be accepted for MS research. It starts at 10 a.m.-noon, with Dr. Edwards and his wife Beth serving as hosts.
MS, or multiple sclerosis, is a chronic condition that affects the central nervous system, including brain and spinal cord. Symptoms vary making early diagnosis difficult. Dr. Edwards, who served patients in Mocksville for decades, was first diagnosed with MS in 2012.
Out on a walk with Beth, he could barely make it back from a quarter mile walk. He got the diagnosis in a couple of weeks.
He immediately sought treatment, including new medicines. It worked. He climbed Mount Killimanjoro the following year.
“Over the years, I have had some modest relapses and have seen a progression of my MS,” he said. “Today, I have significant difficulties with fatigue and walking.”
He uses a cane at most times, sometimes a wheelchair.
“Nevertheless, I am one of the lucky ones with MS as we have been able to continue to travel the world as well as being active in our community.”
His fundraising efforts for the National MS Society began soon after that first diagnosis. Progress in treatments helped him, and it can continue to help others.
So get out there and walk on Saturday morning. Go at your own pace, heck, run if you want, but let’s show a cherished fellow resident of Davie County that we, too, care.
– Mike Barnhardt