First Dollinger Dash Planned for Saturday

Editor's Note: Buddy Brouder was unavailable for an interview this week as he is participating in a medical study out of town.

Three years ago, Buddy Brouder had a variety of strange symptoms. He had numbness in his hands, fatigue and a weird pain around his mid-section. The then 44-year-old Naperville resident luckily did not have to wait long for a diagnosis. Unfortunately, that diagnosis was Multiple Sclerosis.

"You get down and, obviously, when you get diagnosed with something the first year you go through the why mes?" Kelli Brouder, Buddy's wife said. "I'm surrounded by positive people and strong family and friends."

The National MS Society says that MS is a "chronic, often disabling disease that attacks the central nervous system (CNS), which is made up of the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves."

For Buddy Brouder, the disease has meant some slowing down and his symptoms are worst in the hot weather.

"The only time he experiences any true problems where people might notice is when it’s hot out," Kelli Brouder said. "He has right leg drag."

That term is known to those in the MS community, but basically means he drags his right leg. MS patients can sometimes lose feeling or control of their extremities. They sometimes describe the feeling as numbness or as pins and needles. To outsiders, it looks as though the person with MS is dragging his or her leg.

Instead of letting his diagnosis take over his life, Bud Brouder sought to research all of his treatment options and he and his family members decided to make the negative diagnosis positive.

"He was diagnosed and we started fundraising trying to get the positive out of the negative," Kelli Brouder said.

In 2010, Team Bud was the #4 team in Illinois - raising over $43,000 for the National MS Society at the annual MS Walk. They have done that through various fundraising events throughout the year and they have just added a new one - the first Dollinger Dash 5K.

The race will take place at 10 a.m. Saturday at Racers can register online or at from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday or on-site on race day, Saturday, from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.

Liz Stephenson, Brouder's sister-in-law, is the contact for the race and has spearheaded efforts for a running event here in Channahon.

"I'm a big runner so we decided to do it down here," she said.

Additionally, she and her sister grew up in the area.

Unlike the MS Walk, this race does not require participants to fundraise. A flat participant fee of $25 for preregistration and $30 for the day of will be applied. For more information, visit the Facebook Page.