Chamberlin’s Team Pineapple is ready to roll

Kenmore native with multiple sclerosis prepares for April 3 walk

Roxanne Hamilton is a proud member of Team Pineapple and an even bigger devotee of longtime friend Cara Chamberlin, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in October of 2008.

“She was so supportive of my daughter, who had colon cancer. Cara walked in all the events to support cancer research,” said Kenmore’s Hamilton, whose daughter, Alexa, passed away at age 34 two-and-a-half years ago. “She’s a giver. She thinks of herself last always, and doesn’t want to let MS keep her from doing that.”

Chamberlin, 30, grew up in Kenmore and attended Arrowhead Elementary, Kenmore Junior High and Inglemoor High. She lives in Seattle these days, and will welcome about 60 members of her Team Pineapple to the starting line of the MS Walk at University of Washington Husky Stadium April 3 (registration 8:30 a.m., walk at 9:30 a.m.). The team hopes to raise $15,000 for MS research and is about $5,000 away from that goal. Team Pineapple raised about $18,000 before and after the last two walks.

“I love it, I look forward to it all year long. It’s such a blast putting it together,” said Chamberlin, whose sister, Megan Strasser, and Hamilton lend their help, as well. “It makes me feel very loved.”

It’s been an unstable last two years for Chamberlin, who suffers from relapsing and remitting MS, which means that her symptoms of nerve pain and fatigue come and go. (She was diagnosed with MS after the soles of her feet went numb on a Tuesday in 2008 and she was numb up to her neck on Friday.) She was prescribed some new medicine two months ago and is “super hopeful” that things will continue to go well.

Chamberlin is currently a full-time nanny for a Ballard couple and is studying for her bachelor of arts degree in nonprofit leadership at Antioch University in Seattle.

The MS Walk is a big part of her life, as well. “I wanted something I could do. It was something that was happening to me, and I wanted something I could be proactive with,” said Chamberlin, noting that the pineapple in her team’s name signifies her favorite food.

To donate to Team Pineapple, visit http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/teampineapple or http://main.nationalmssociety.org.

Contact Bothell Reporter Reporter Andy Nystrom at editor@bothell-reporter.com or 1-425-483-3732 (ext 5050).

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