MS CONNECTION NEWSLETTER · the best of me. Six years later, I was horribly depressed. Defeated. I...

FALL 2013 BLUE RIDGE CHAPTER

MS CONNECTION NEWSLETTER

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

07HEALTH INSURANCE CHOICES

08FOCUS ON MS RESEARCH

14LIVING WITH MS TELECONFERENCE SERIES

03TEAMWORK WORKS

WORKPLACE LEGAL PROTECTIONS PAGE 12

Photo by Ed Kashi

WORKPLACE LEGAL PROTECTIONSPAGE 12

02 MS CONNECTION: FALL 2013

CONNECT WITH US ONLINE:Blue Ridge Chapter www.nationalMSsociety.org/vab

Like us: www.facebook.com/ nmssblueridge www.facebook.com/ walkMSblueridge

www.facebook.com/CountryRoadsRide www.facebook.com/TourDeVine

Follow us: @MSBlueRidge

WE’RE HERE FOR YOUThe Blue Ridge Chapter serves 6,000 people with MS in western and central Virginia, the state of West Virginia and seven counties in Kentucky. We are working to create a world free of MS.

Learn more about what we do, how we help and how you can get involved. Call 1 (800) 344-4867.

BE ORANGE...GO GREENThe Blue Ridge Chapter strives to be a good steward of the funds we raise through events, sponsorship, grants and donations. To meet that challenge, we are going green...and investing more “green” in the programs and services, research and advocacy that address the needs of those living with MS!

This issue of the MS Connection marks the first issue to be distributed electronically to the majority of our members, event participants and supporters. The benefit is two-fold: we are saving money on printing and postage while also reducing waste.

If you would like to receive the full-color version electronically, email [email protected] or call (800) 344.4867 to verify that we have your correct address and ensure that we have permission to email you. By receiving communications electronically, you will get the most up-to-date, timely information possible.

You can also be a part of the conversation on social media! Connect with us and with others affected by MS on Facebook and Twitter.

ON THE WEB

RESEARCH RESOURCESThe National MS Society’s website has a wealth of information about ongoing clinical trials and research studies as well as the latest news coming from completed studies. Visit www.nationalMSsociety.org/research for FAQs about clinical trials and a list of studies recruiting participants throughout the country.

The Blue Ridge Chapter website has information about trials and studies in our area. To learn more and find out if you might be eligible to participate, visit www.nationalMSsociety.org/vab. Click Programs and Services then Research Studies and Clinical Trials on the left navigation bar. You can also contact an MS Navigator at (800) 344.4867 for more details.

03NATIONALMSSOCIETY.ORG | 1-800-344-4867

LIVING WITH MS

TEAMWORK WORKSBY ANGELA SHAW

“Wait, Daddy! Wait! Let me do it! I can do it by myself!” My fierce streak of independence drove my dad nuts. I wouldn’t accept his help and rarely followed instructions. “Oh, for crying out loud, Ange,” he groaned, “let me help you.”

Independence. Sometimes I was wildly successful. Sometimes I failed miserably. Results didn’t matter. My resolve remained the same: I didn’t need any help. I could figure it out by myself.

IF MS IS THE DIAGNOSIS, I THOUGHT, “I’M GOING TO FIX IT. I CAN DO IT BY MYSELF.”

In 2003, I started to experience all kinds of strange symptoms. I literally dragged myself to the doctor for an evaluation and MRI. “If MS is the diagnosis, I thought, “I’m going to fix it. I can do it by myself!” MS was indeed the diagnosis so I suited up to fight.

Along with doctor-prescribed interferon shots, I tried some home remedies to make MS go away: from freshly-squeezed carrot juice daily to magnetic shoe inserts to elimating all fragranced

products. Something had to work!

Nothing did. I still had MS and MS was getting the best of me. Six years later, I was horribly depressed. Defeated. I couldn’t figure it out myself and I was miserable.

Then I had an “aha” moment. Maybe if I ask for help, I might be able to get some forward motion in this battle. I’d been an athlete, an event planner, a PTA parent. I knew the value of teamwork. I knew it was time to quit trying to do it all on my own and went into full “recruiter mode” to build a team to help me battle MS.

TEAM MEDMy medical team is my first line of defense in treating my MS. After all, MS was diagnosed by a neurologist, so I was fully convinced that a neurologist should treat it.

Angela with members of “Team Med”

After three tries, I finally found a doctor with a sense of humor who didn’t take me too seriously. While she and I share a mutual love of humor during our vists, she’s all business when it comes to treating my MS. I see her for regular evaluations to stay on top of every symptom and the disease progression.

Continued on Page 4


CONTINUED FROM PAGE 03Occasionally I’ll have an MS hiccup that requires specialized attention. For instance, when I lose my mobility mojo, my doc refers me to a physical therapist. If I’m having trouble reading, writing or eating fajitas, she refers me to an occupational therapist. When my voice gets weak, she sends me to a speech therapist to get it stronger.

THEY KEEP TABS ON MY PROGRESS, HELPING ME TAKE TWO STEPS FORWARD AND FEWER STEPS BACK.

My PT, OT and ST also embrace my silliness. But that doesn’t mean they let me slide when it comes to “doing the work.” They keep tabs on my progress, helping me take two steps forward and fewer steps back.

PEP SQUAD PEEPSEvery team needs a rah-rah squad to keep them motivated to win. My MS cheering section doesn’t wear splashy uniforms, but they’ve got a boatload of heart!

The Cheerleader-in-Chief is my incredible husband, Ed. He’s my strongest advocate, a beast of a personal trainer and a no-nonsense chef who keeps me healthy and strong. He takes me to all my doctor and therapy appointments and even sits with me as I get my monthly drug therapy infusions. To go along with all of that, he’s got a killer smile!

Angela’s go-to encouragement crew: husband Ed and sons Dave & Phil

My sons, Phil and Dave, are members of the Army National Guard. They keep me accountable about my exercise and nutrition. Actually, we keep each other accountable. No wimps allowed. I fight because they fight. They fight because I fight.

Overall, my circle of friends has tightened from a host of acquaintances to a tightly-knit select few who are empathetic to the daily changes and challeges my MS brings. They are a huge source of encouragement and don’t expect anything of me other than to keep fighting every day.

NATIONAL MS SOCIETYBMS (Before MS), I was a tireless volunteer. I volunteered at church, at school and on military installations. I championed every cause I was passionate about. But when MS took away much of my mobility and ability, I stopped.

But through the National MS Society, I found new opportunities to volunteer, a new purpose.

I’ve heard it said that when you’re at your lowest point, you should help others. When you take the focus off of yourself and put your energy into helping others, somehow your situation doesn’t look so bad. So I started doing all I could to support others in the fight against MS.


I’ve participated in Walk MS every year since 2010. Me and my crew - Team Sole Patrol - have raised over $15,000 for MS research, programs and services. I’ve also spoken at fundraisers, such as the Women on the Move luncheon and Dinner of Champions. No, I can’t stuff envelopes and answering phones is difficult. But God mercifully allowed me to retain my ability to communicate. I use my mind, my mouth and my message to bring awareness to the cause.

TEAM SUCCESS BEGINS WITH YOUWhen you’re building your team, remember this: You’re the only one who’s an expert about you! Only you know how your body responds to different therapies. Only you know what hurts and what doesn’t. Only you know how MS is making you feel on any given day. Be completely honest with yourself and with others on your team. Everybody needs to be on the same page.

It took me a while to get over not being able

to do it all myself. Then I realized that I was in charge. I was calling the shots on a team that was supporting me. I get to choose who’s on that team. I get to decide who and what works best for me.

The best news about having an MS support team? You’re the team captain! How cool is that?

Angela Shaw, diagnosed in 2003, raises MS awareness and champions the cause through speaking engagements and fundraising events. She and her husband Ed

live in Crozet, VA enjoying the fruits of the beautiful Blue Ridge and frequent visits from their Army Strong sons.

Visit Angela’s blog at www.amyelinmyshoes.

VOLUNTEER ENGAGEMENT

SHARE YOUR SKILLS AND EXPERIENCEOne of the most important resources of a nonprofit is the group of volunteers who drive programs and events forward. Volunteers bring variety of skills and experiences, lending valuable perspectives on living with MS, providing connections in their communities and moving us closer to a world free of MS. Consider donating your time and talent as a National MS Society volunteer!

We are currently recruiting MS Ambassadors, event committee members, skilled photographers/videographers and social media moderators. Visit www.nationalMSsociety.org/vab and click VOLUNTEER on the left navigation panel or email [email protected] for more information.


LIVING WITH MS

VITAMIN D AND YOU During the Society’s Webcast, Living Well with MS: Lifestyle, Diet and Complementary Therapies (watch it at www.nationalMSsociety.org/webcasts), we received a number of questions about vitamin D. We sat down with Dr. Brenda Banwell, Division Chief of Neurology and professor of Pediatric Neurology at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the University of Pennsylvania, to get answers to the most popular questions submitted by listeners.

HOW MUCH VITAMIN D SHOULD A PERSON WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS TAKE?If you are living with MS, I would recommend that you work with your healthcare provider to obtain your vitamin D blood levels (also called 25-hydroxy vitamin D), which is a measurement of the circulating vitamin D in the body.

Many people with MS will require much higher doses than is recommended for the general population in order to bring their blood levels up, particularly in the winter. Under the care of a physician, it wouldn’t be unusual for a person with MS to take 3,000 to 5,000 IUs per day. But, if you are taking vitamin D in doses beyond what is recommended, you will want to make sure you are being monitored by a doctor, as too much vitamin D can potentially be toxic.

IS IT BETTER TO GET VITAMIN D THROUGH NUTRITION OR SUNLIGHT?The most effective way of obtaining vitamin D is through sunlight acting on the skin - particularly for people with lighter skin. People with darker skin absorb less vitamin D.

If we weren’t worried about the negative effects of sunlight, then it would be a very good way (in the sunnier months) of obtaining vitamin D - but of course we have to balance the risks. We live in a world where there are harmful effects of ultraviolet (UV) radiation and skin cancer is a very real concern. Therefore, sunblock has become a major health initiative; but, if you wear sunblock, you also block vitamin D production pretty dramatically. I advocate for the safer route of wearing sunscreen and taking oral supplements in order to obtain vitamin D.

CAN VITAMIN D HELP PREVENT MS IN FAMILY MEMBERS OF PEOPLE WITH MS?It would be very difficult to assume that vitamin D alone would be sufficient to


prevent MS. However, the data at this point would suggest that there may be a connection between vitamin D levels and MS risk. One study looked at military recruits in the US who were sampled as part of a routine blood screening when they entered the military. This study found a fairly strong relationship between levels of vitamin D and MS. Those who had higher levels of vitamin D at the time of the routine screening were much less likely to be diagnosed with MS in the 5 to 10 years following the screening than those with lower levels. What that suggests is that if you have a robust vitamin D level during childhood and teenage years, it could be one of the factors that reduces your MS risk.

Having healthy vitamin D levels and nutrition

during childhood and teenage years is also important for bone health and may also help reduce the risk for other autoimmune diseases. I would suggest that anyone living in places where we get little sunlight during half of the year take steps to maintain their vitamin D nutrition. And, for family members who have an increased risk of MS, I think it would be a really wise investment to have your vitamin D levels tested and take vitamin D supplements if your levels are low.

Read more about the latest research on vitamin D and MS at www.nationalmssociety.org/vitaminD. Originally published at www.MSconnection.org/blog.

MONEY MATTERS

MAKING HEALTH INSURANCE CHOICESStarting October 1, most people who don’t already have health insurance will have new options for coverage when the Health Insurance Marketplace - a component of the Affordable Car Act - begins enrollment for coverage to begin January 1, 2014.

The Web-based Health Insurance Marketplaces, (sometimes called “exchanges”) are a new way of shopping for health insurance coverage, allowing people to compare plans, get tax credits and identify other cost help. The program also includes government-certified “navigators” who are expert health insurance counselors funded by the marketplaces to provide unbiased information, education and enrollment help to consumers at no cost. Coverage through marketplace plans is guaranteed regardless of pre-existing conditions, like multiple sclerosis, and covers preventive and needed care, such as doctor’s visits, hospitalizations, maternity leave, emergency room care and prescriptions. All plans that participate in the marketplace have to show costs and what is covered in simple, understandable language that allows people to make “apples to apples” comparisons between plans. Enrollment begins October 1 at www.healthcare.gov. Call the Society at (800).244.4867 or visit www.nationalMSsociety.org/ACAkickin for more information.


RESEARCH

FOCUS ON MS RESEARCH

A joint meeting held May 29 to June 1 by the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) and the Americas Committee on Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS) showcased the latest directions in MS research.

Here is a selection from more than 200 presentations on research seeking to stop MS in its tracks, restore function to those who have MS and to end the disease forever.

STOP MSResearchers at the Colorado Blood Cancer Institute in Denver reported two-year results on a study following 24 people with highly active relapsing-remitting MS who were treated with bone marrow transplantation. Both relapses and disease activity observed on MRI scans were significantly reduced; however,

there was significant loss of brain volume the first year, which then stabilized, and one person died. Other adverse events included excessive levels of uric acid and liver enzymes, and decreased potassium levels. Participants are being followed for a total of five years, and additional research is needed to determine the risks and benefits for people with MS of this experimental procedure.

A study at the University of California, Los Angeles, tested whether male and female sex chromosomes influence the response of the nervous system to injury. In female mice genetically engineered to express the male (XY) or female (XX) chromosome, XY mice experienced a more severe MS-like disease. However, immune responses did not differ. If confirmed in further studies, such findings may help to explain why MS progression occurs faster in men, even though MS is more common in women.

RESTORE: REHABILITATIONThree separate studies reported results on falling issues.

• Debra Frankel, Vice President, Programs, Services and Clinical Care at the Society, reported that participants in the Society’s Free from Falls program improved in balance and walking, and that the psychological impact of falls was reduced, even six months after the program. (For more on how to participate in the Free from Falls program, call 1-800-344-4867, or visit www.national MSsociety.org/freefromfalls.)


• At the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, researchers found that fall risk decreased significantly and balance improved in 10 people with MS who participated in a 12-week, home-based exercise program, compared with 12 people who did not participate. The Society is funding a continuation of the study to determine how exercise can be used to prevent falls in people with MS.

• Researchers at the Oregon Health and Science University in Portland found that in 53 people with MS taking a range of medications, those taking no medications had a 27% risk of falls and that the risk of a fall increased 33% with each additional medication. Larger studies are needed to confirm how medications might affect the risk of falling, so that clinicians can consider this important aspect of MS management.

A Society-funded study at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign found that video-chat sessions with a behavior change coach improved results of a six-month physical activity program among participants. The results also showed reduced fatigue, depression and anxiety.

RESTORE: REPAIRInvestigators at Endece, LLC reported that the molecule NDC-1308 reduced cell death in the spinal cord of mice with an MS-like disease and activated genes important in the development of myelin-making cells. The company is supporting preclinical research to develop NDC-1308 as a possible future treatment for repairing damage in MS.

END MSA Society-funded study at University of Miami found that 287 Hispanic/Latinos with MS were more likely to experience symptoms of motor weakness, ataxia (problems with muscle control) and bladder problems, when compared to 275 non-Hispanic whites with MS. Hispanic/Latinos also responded more favorably to interferon treatments. For MS resources in Spanish and information about Hispanic/Latinos living with MS, visit mueveteMS.org.

A study at University of Utah, Salt Lake City, using a new technique called “deep sequencing,” found that the activities of genes that instruct retroviruses was significantly increased in 14 people with primary-progressive MS. Further studies in larger numbers of people to determine the significance of these findings are about to get underway with Society funding.

Data collected from the Sonya Slifka Longitudinal MS Study, established by the Society in 2000 to study demographic and disease characteristics, use and cost of health services, access to care, quality of life, treatment and much more, is being made available to qualified investigators for studies on the direct and indirect costs of MS. These include the financial impact of out-of-pocket costs, informal caregiving, pregnancy and mental health treatment.

To read more about the joint meeting and other recent MS research, visit www.national MSsociety.org/research or sign up at www.nationalMSsociety.org/signup to have MS eNEWS delivered monthly to your inbox.

MS CONNECTION: FALL 201310Don’t Just Ride. Bike MS.

REGISTRATION OPEN!Bike MS: Tour De Vine 2014

June 14-15 » Pollak Vineyards

With a discounted registration fee of $14 through January 1, NOW is the time to register for Bike MS: Tour De Vine. Visit www.bikeMSva.org to access the new website.

If you are interested in kicking off the new season with a team rally, contact Ben Vucic ([email protected] or 434.971.1073) to make arrangements for your team. Along with providing materials for registration, the Society will help you create goals, generate fundraising ideas and connect your team to the mission to create a world free of MS!

REGISTER TODAY! » BIKEMSVA.ORG » 434.971.1073

Walk MSWebsite to Open Soon

With the fantastic Walk MS events of 2013 in the history books, we are looking forward to 2014! Watch for updates coming soon about 2014 events and activities...and the opening of the website!

Would you like to see Walk MS grow? Volunteer to help plan and promote Walk MS in YOUR community! Contact Deirdre at [email protected] or 434.465.6038.

Top 2013 Teams: Grateful Tread ($66,097); BB&T Scott & Stringfellow ($31,464); Team Crutchfield ($20,485); Dog Tired Riders ($14,511); The Royal Tannin Bombs ($13,888)

Bike MS: Country RoadsThank you!

On behalf of those affected by MS throughout the Blue Ridge Chapter who benefit from the programs, services, research and advocacy of the Society, we’d like to thank everyone who helped make Bike MS: Country Roads Rides 2013 a great event! 199 cyclists participated on road and trail routes between Greenbrier and Snowshoe. To date, nearly $150,000 has been raised. Special thanks to our presenting sponsor, Mylan Pharmaceuticals.

Photo bySteve Curtiss

NATIONALMSSOCIETY.ORG | 1-800-344-4867 1122nd Annual MS honoring

Amy Black & Dorrie FontaineRecipients of the Silver Hope Award

Save the DateTuesday, November 19, 2013

Reception and Dinner 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

The Boar’s Head Inn

Sponsorship opportunities are available. Contact Deirdre Kelly at (434) 465-6038.

Dorrie Fontaine, the Sadie Heath Cabaniss Professor of Nursing and Associate Chief Nursing Officer for UVA Health System, has led the School since 2008. Dean Fontaine is the founder of the Compassionate Care Initiative, which teaches clinicians about resilience and mindful practices. She is the past-president of the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN) and current president of the Virginia Association of Colleges of Nursing. The American Academy of Nursing awarded her its Lifetime Member Award in 2004 and she received the Presidential Citation from the Society of Critical Care Medicine in 1999. Dean Fontaine currently chairs the Board for Charlottesville’s Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) and serves on the boards for United Way, Hospice of the Piedmont, and Friends of the National Institute of Nursing Research.

Amy Black has served as Chief Nurse Executive at Martha Jefferson Hospital since 2001. Ms. Black has over 30 years of experience in the field of nursing, information services and hospital administration, holding various leadership positions at several academic children’s medical centers including Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Since joining Sentara she has been very active in system-wide nursing, quality and safety initiatives. She is treasurer for the Virginia Nurses Association, vice-chair of the Charlottesville Free Clinic Board of Directors and co-leader of the Nurse Executive Council of the Virginia Nursing Magnet Consortium. She serves as the Nurse Executive Leader for the Virginia Nurses Action Coalition for the Northwest Region of Virginia to implement the educational goals of the Institute of Medicine’s recommendations for the Future of Nursing, part of a national effort sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and AARP.

MS CONNECTION: FALL 201312COVER STORY

LEGAL PROTECTIONS IN THE WORKPLACEIf you are working, or considering a return to the workforce, it is important to know that you have certain legal protections in the workplace. While the following is not an exhaustive list of all the legal protections that might be available to you, it does include several of the most common laws that people with multiple sclerosis should familiarize themselves with, in case they need to refer to them in the future.

AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA)The ADA has several sections that are designed to protect people with disabilities from discrimination in a variety of settings.

Title I deals with employment issues. The ADA applies to private-sector employers with 15 or more employees, state and local government employers, and the legislative branch of the federal government. It is intended to allow employees equal access in the workplace and applies to job applicants, new employees and employees who become impaired while employed. The ADA was recently amended to clarify who is considered an “individual with a disability” and certain conditions were listed in the final regulations. MS was included in that list; therefore, the assumption is that someone with MS is protected

by the ADA.

Key components of the ADA apply to disclosure and accommodations. Simply put, the ADA states than an employee with a disability has to be able to perform the essential function of the job with or without reasonable accommodations. If a person does not require accommodations, there is no legal requirement to disclose. However, in order to request accommodations, the employee will need to disclose that he or she has a disability covered under the ADA. Employers can deny those accommodations if they determine they will cause an “undue hardship,” but that is decided on a case-by-case basis. Seeking and getting accommodations should be a dialog with management.

FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE ACT (FMLA)FMLA, which basically provides for a job-protected leave without pay, is available for the employee with a medical condition or for a family member caring for a loved one with a medical condition. Under FMLA, the employee can request up to 12 weeks unpaid leave, during which time the employer still maintains benefits for that individual, but only if the employee has been employed for one year and worked at least 1,250 hours during that year. In addition, it only applies to employers with 50 or more employees. Leave does not have to be taken all at once and can be taken in increments.

Upon their family member’s or their own release from a doctor, employees may return to their previous position or a similar position with equivalent pay and responsibility. In essence, if you are on FMLA, your job will be there for you when you return.

NATIONALMSSOCIETY.ORG | 1-800-344-4867 13CONSOLIDATED OMNIBUS BUDGET RECONCILIATION ACT (COBRA)COBRA provides for continuation of coverage for employees, their spouses and dependents. The length of time a person can maintain COBRA varies depending on the qualifying event that triggered their option to elect their COBRA rights. Typically, the initial time period for continuation of coverage is 18 months.

HEALTH INSURANCE PORTABILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT (HIPAA)HIPAA is an extensive law that provides protections regarding health insurance and the use of personal health information. Check with the health plan administrator at your job to make sure you are getting the most out of these consumer protections. State laws may also afford persons with MS protections. These often cover employers not covered by federal laws. Find more detailed information about these legal protections by clicking “Knowing Your Rights” at www.nationalMSsociety.org/living-with-multiple-sclerosis/employment.

If you feel your rights in the workplace have been violated, it’s important to act quickly and get the help you need. The Society can provide assistance and support for your questions about employment and the law. Call an MS Navigator at (800) 344.4867, where you can discuss disclosure issues and accommodation strategies, learn more about legal protections and obtain referrals to other employment resources. Get educated, get informed and get connected.

WAYS TO GIVE

GIVE AT THE OFFICEEvery year, people nationwide help create a world free of multiple sclerosis by contributing through their employer’s charitable giving campaign.

Most campaigns kick off in the fall, so if you’ve been looking for an easy and efficient way to join the movement, act now. Simply designate your annual pledge to the National MS Society. Your donation will be automatically deducted from each paycheck to fund cutting-edge research and provide programs and services to help people affected by MS move their lives forward.

Federal government employees and military personnel are eligible to participate in the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC), the nation’s largest workplace giving program. If you participate in the CFC, designate your gift to the Society using CFC#11409. For Viginia state employees participating in the Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign (CVC), use the Blue Ridge Chapter code #6091.

If your company offers a workplace giving program, look for the Society listed under Community Health Charities. If your employer doesn’t offer a giving program, talk to your benefits administrator or call us at (800) 344.4867, option #2, to see if we can help.


EDUCATION - TELECONFERENCE SERIES

LIVING WELL WITH MSJoin us from the comfort of your own phone for informative conference calls on a diverse range of topics for people living with MS. This three-call series is offered at no charge. Participate in every call or just the one that interests you. Each call will be conducted using a toll-free number provided to you upon registration. All calls are from 7-8 p.m. For more information and to RSVP, visit nationalMSsociety.org/vab or call (800) 344.4687. If you miss the call, don’t worry! They will be recorded and a link will be provided on our website after each call.

MINDFULNESS-BASED STRATEGIES FOR COPING WITH MS PAINPain is often an overlooked symptom in MS even though 80% of people with MS experience some type of pain. Learn about the origins of pain in MS, how it is treated with medication and/or rehabilitation and how to manage it through relaxation and meditation.

Wednesday, October 23 (Registration deadline: October 16) Speakers: Dr. Jonathan Cahill, Board Certified Neurologist, Rhode Island Hospital MS Center and Ruth Geller, Meditation pactitioner and group facilitator for the Long Island Chapter of the National MS Society

THE EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH OF CAREGIVERSWednesday, November 6 (Registation deadline: October 30) Speaker: Linda Walter, LCSW, Support group facilitator for the NYC-Southern NY Chapter of the National MS Society

Maintaining your health and well-being is essential to being able to care for others. Celebrate National Family Caregivers’ Month by learning tips for overcoming physical and emotional exhaustion while providing valuable resources to address the challenges of caring for a loved one living with a chronic illness.

THE OTHER SIDE OF MS RESEARCH: HEALTH POLICY AND COGNITIONWednesday, December 4 (Registration deadline: November 27) Speaker: Nicholas G. LaRocca, PhD, Vice President of Health Care Delivery and Policy Research, National MS Society

Discover the wide range of MS research that impacts quality of life and everday issues for people with MS.


WEEKENDESCAPE 2013: HAPPY FACES

Board Chairman • Brian MasonGovernance Vice Chair • Ron Tweel

Treasurer • Meg Haymans

East Region EVP• Craig RobertsonSecretary • Ron MittelmanEditor • Carrie Dahlquist

THE MS CONNECTION IS A PUBLICATION OFTHE NATIONAL MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS SOCIETY, BLUE RIDGE CHAPTER

Information provided by the Society is based upon professional advice, published experience and expert opinion. Information provided in response to questions does not constitute therapeutic recommendations or prescriptions. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society recommends that all questions and information be discussed with a personal physician.

Our mission: To mobilize people and resources to drive research for a cure and to address the challenges of everyone affected by MS.

© 2013 National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Blue Ridge Chapter

Special Thanks to Brian Mason and Sponsors Biogen, Questcor and TEVA!

NON-PROFITORGANIZATION

U.S. POSTAGEPAID

Charlottesville, VAPermit No. 162

Blue Ridge Chapter1020 Carrington PlaceCharlottesville, VA 22901

Change Service Requested

UPCOMING EVENTS - WATCH FOR UPDATES!

*2013 Blue Ridge Chapter Annual Meeting & Volunteer Awards Program*Coming in December 2013

Annual Meeting & Awards Program - Charlottesville Chapter Update & Awards Program - Charleston

*Walk MS: 2014*Website opens soon for registration kick-off!

Watch for full event information on each event throughout the chapter.

*Bike MS: Tour De Vine 2014* Saturday & Sunday, June 14 - 15

Pollak Vineyards

UPCOMING EVENTS - MARK YOUR CALENDAR2013 Blue Ridge Chapter Annual Meeting & Volunteer Awards Program

IN THE NEXT ISSUE...2013 Program & Fundraising Wrap-Up • Walk MS 2014 Information • Upcoming Programs for 2014

(800) 344-4867 • www.nationalMSsociety.org/vab • [email protected]

MS CONNECTION NEWSLETTER · the best of me. Six years later, I was horribly depressed. Defeated. I...

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