Astros mascot Orbit to ride in BP MS 150 this weekend

Astros mascot Orbit will be participating in the 30th Annual BP MS 150 Houston-to-Austin Bike Ride this weekend, starting on Saturday, April 12 and ending on Sunday, April 13. The annual two-day fundraising event hosted by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society supports programs and services that directly impact families and individuals affected by MS as well as critical MS research to end the disease.

Orbit, who will be the first mascot to ride the entire BP MS 150, will also be at the BP MS 150 Expo at the Omni Houston Westside tomorrow, Friday, April 11 from 3:00-5:00pm. For more information, please visit www.bpms150.net.

Orbit loves a physical challenge, which he showed when he rappelled down 29 stories of the Four Seasons Hotel in downtown Houston as part of the "Over the Edge" fundraising event benefiting the YMCA of Greater Houston last March, and made nearly 300 community appearances throughout the year. This upcoming season, Orbit will be celebrating his birthday in grand fashion the weekend of June 27-29 when the Astros take on the defending AL Central Division Champion Detroit Tigers. On Friday, June 27, the Big and Bright Friday Night Fireworks presented by Marathon Oil Corporation will have an extraterrestrial musical theme. An Orbit rainbow jersey presented by Coca-Cola will be given away to 10,000 fans on Saturday, June 28, and Orbit antenna presented by Coca-Cola will be given away to 10,000 fans on Sunday, June 29.

ABOUT MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS:
Multiple sclerosis, an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system, interrupts the flow of information within the brain, and between the brain and body. Symptoms range from numbness and tingling to blindness and paralysis. The progress, severity and specific symptoms of MS in any one person cannot yet be predicted, but advances in research and treatment are moving us closer to a world free of MS. Most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, with at least two to three times more women than men being diagnosed with the disease. MS affects more than 2.3 million worldwide.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS SOCIETY:
MS stops people from moving. The National MS Society exists to make sure it doesn't. The Society addresses the challenges of each person affected by MS by funding cutting-edge research, driving change through advocacy, facilitating professional education, collaborating with MS organizations around the world, and providing programs and services designed to help people with MS and their families move forward with their lives. In 2012 alone, the Society invested $43 million to support more than 350 new and ongoing research projects around the world while providing programs and services to more than one million individuals affected by multiple sclerosis. The National MS Society serves more than 68,000 Texans affected by multiple sclerosis, including more than 22,000 diagnosed with the disease. The Society is dedicated to achieving a world free of MS. Join the movement at www.jointhemovment.org.

Early and ongoing treatment with an FDA-approved therapy can make a difference for people with multiple sclerosis. Learn about your options by talking to your health care professional and contacting the National MS Society at nationalMSsociety.org or 1-800- 344-4867.