Spring ms connection 2013

MOVING TOWARD A WORLD FREE OF MS | VOLUME 6 • EDITION 1

Join us for free educational workshops that focus on disease and symptom management, exercise and wellness, advances in MS, carepartner support and more.

See page 17

MS Expo: Living Now and Looking Forward

Saturday, July 20, 2013

GEORGIA CHAPTER

In this Issue:

Meet our new Research AdvocatePage 3

Don Logana shares his Walk experiencePage 4

Update on MedicareImprovement Standards5

2 | JOIN THE MOVEMENT: nationalMSsociety.org

1-800-344-4867PUbLICATION Of THE NATIONALMULTIPLE SCLEROSIS SOCIETyGeorgia Chapter • 1117 Perimeter CenterWest, Ste. E101 • Atlanta, GA 30338

Chairman • William J. Holley II

Secretary • Diane flannery

Treasurer • Keith Keller

Chapter President • Roy A. Rangel

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society does not endorse products, services or manufacturers. Such names appear here solely because they are considered valuable information. The National Multiple Sclero-sis Society assumes no liability for the use of contents of any product or service men-tioned.

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 Scle-rosis Society recommends that all questions and information be discussed with a per-sonal physician.

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society‘s mission is 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, Georgia Chapter

Are you looking for aSelf-Help Group or Peer Supporter

in your community?

Whether you just received a diagnosis of MS or have been living with it for a long time, the National MS Society, Georgia Chapter has great programs available to you where you can find support and experiencedbased tips on how to live a productive and happy life with MS.

Self-Help Groups meet regularly for educa-tional and social purposes, allowing members to express feelings and provide support to one another. Members share a belief that positive personal change can happen through individ-ual effort with the support of others.

Peer Supporters are trained individualsliving with MS, or are a family member of someone living with MS. Via the telephone, our Peer Supporters offer information, com-panionship, emotional support and encour-agement to peers living with MS.

There is no cost to participate in a Self-Help Group or Peer Support Program.

To request services or if you are interested in starting a Self-Help Group or becoming a Peer Supporter, call the Georgia Chapter Of-fice at 1-800-344-4867 or e-mail Stephanie at [email protected]

See complete listing of Self-Help Groups in Georgia on Page 18.

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OuT Of AdverSiTy COmeS OPPOrTuniTyThere are many important factors to life; one of them is to have a job. In today’s world everyone needs a job. But some people get fired; some get laid off because the company gets shutdown or when they do not have enough income to pay workers. This is especially true in today’s economy. But for some people it is a different story they may have a disease or disability of some sort so they can’t have a job at all. This is the story of my mom.

My mother was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis or (MS) about seven years ago. MS is a nervous system disease that affects your brain and spinal cord. It affects the myelin sheath, the material that surrounds and protects your nerve cells. This damage slows down or blocks messages between your brain and your body, leading to the symptoms of MS. They can include visual disturbances, muscle weakness, trouble with coordination and balance, sensations such as numbness, prickling, or “pins and needles,” and thinking and memory problems.

Since my mom was diagnosed it has been very hard on all of us – especially on my mom! She has over 20 medications that she takes every day and she’s even required to take a shot every night. She’s had to live with MS while working two jobs but a few weeks ago she was given some bad news from her doctor; he told her that because of her MS she will need to go on short term disability (STD) which means that she will not be working

for three months.

Short Term Disability really isn’t all that bad, I know it will be good for her and she will start feeling much better. Plus she’s allowed to keep one of her part time jobs so she still has something to do. She works as a dietitian at a hospital and she loves her job there because she loves to help people.

My mom was really upset when she found out that she would not be able to work her main job. She told me that she had been working since she was 13. Most MS patient’s only work for about three years after they have been diagnosed but my mom made it seven years – so she considers

herself lucky. As a family we are trying to find the upside for my mom going on disability. For example, my sister and I will be able to go to college for a lot less then it would normally cost which is really great for us, and my dad’s job will support all of us just fine.

One important life law in today’s world is to have a job but it’s not the end of the world if you can’t work because I believe God will always provide and everything will be just fine. More and more research is being done on MS and I believe that she will only get better.

WrITTeN By CHrIS L.9th Grade28 January, 2013

More and more research is being done on MS and I believe that [my mom]

will only get better.

LIVING WITH MS


Get ready, Atlanta, on October 5 for the best mud and obstacle fun-run in the nation! you’ll be running, swinging and sloshing through five miles of incredible obstacles and the muddiest pits, craters and trenches you’ve ever seen. We’re also getting mucky to wipe out MS: 100% of your fundraising dollars go back to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Register today at MuckfestMS.org!

Walk MS helps us make connections more powerful that the connections MS destroys. It

is an opportunity for family and friends of the MS community to come together and celebrate our achievements and hope for a future without MS. This year, Walk MS: Georgia 2013 hosted 5,800 participants this year, raising to-date more than $679,600! Thank you to all who joined us this year, as a participant, donor, or volunteer, to take one step closer to a world free of multiple sclerosis. for more information, please contact Laurie Palmer, Walk MS Development Manager, at [email protected].

Meet our new research Advocate, Deborah Backus, PT, PhD. Dr. Backus is an experienced

physical therapist, educator, and researcher dedicated to improving outcomes for people with neurological injury or disease, specifically multiple sclerosis (MS). She received her B.S. in Physical Therapy in 1986, and her Ph.D. in neuroscience in 2004. Dr. Backus is currently Director of MS research at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta. She has presented both nationally and internationally related to her research, and has also published several articles related to this work. One of her greatest pleasures is to help translate meaningful evidence into interventions and programs to help improve the lives of people with MS. In her role as research Advocate, Dr. Backus will do just that, and will share new research developments and opportunities for people with MS to participate in research. Check the new “Dr. B’s research Corner” regularly, and feel free to contact her at [email protected].

Meet Dr. Deborah backuS


Which Walk MS do you participate in, and how long have you participated? Savannah and second year participating

What is your connection to multiple sclerosis and the National MS Society? My sister was diagnosed about two years ago, so after she was diagnosed, I started doing research to learn more about it and found out more about Walk MS and wanted to get involved with the Georgia Chapter of the National MS Society. I work for a local television station and got a team started there to promote the walk.

How much money did you raise this year? More than $15,000 in 22 days

How did you raise those funds? I used social media to promote Walk MS through Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. When people would make donations, we would take pictures of them with a sign and post them online. Donations started to grow through the publicity and building awareness. More than 80 local businesses participated. Continuing to promote through the deadline of July 1. Their goal is $30,000.

What is your favorite part of Walk MS? Hearing the stories and seeing the community come together to help and spread the word. It helps bring awareness to the disease and educating people about MS.

What is your advice to those who are timid or skeptical about fundraising? Don’t be afraid to fail. Set goals and work to achieve them. Think outside the box to be able to

reach it. you can’t be afraid to try some different ideas and think about what you do best. Use that to help you fundraise. The fundraising deadline is after Walk MS, so continue to fundraise and get people to give!

Interview with Don Logana WALK MS


reSearch

exercISe & the braInby bruce bebo, PhD

emerging evidence across the board suggests that exercise doesn’t just keep us physically fit, it helps our brain function better, too. Scientific presentations on exercise, rehabilitation and quality of life issues at the American Academy of Neurology’s annual meeting in March suggest this holds true for people living with multiple sclerosis, as well.

exercISe’S gooD effectSA small study from National Multiple Sclerosis Society-supported scientists at the Kessler research Institute in New Jersey found that 30 minutes of aerobic exercise done three times a week over three months improved memory and increased the volume of the hippocampus, a part of the brain involved with memory. These preliminary results will hopefully encourage further studies that will yield more definitive conclusions and maybe even recommendations.

Another study examined the potential of longer-term aerobic exercise to build endurance in people with MS. This study involved 60 people split into two groups: people who experienced fatigue and people who did not. both groups performed individualized endurance exercises using treadmills.

After six months, both groups showed improved oxygen consumption. however, those who started out with fatigue showed improvement in their fatigue scores, but it took at least nine months of the program to see a difference. So while you may not feel the effects of exercise at first, persistence can pay off!

WhILe you May not feeL the effectS of exercISe at fIrSt, perSIStence can pay off!

exercISeS for the braInSome very interesting data illustrating how the brain reorganizes to adapt to MS damage was presented by a research team from the San raffaele hospital in Milan, Italy. This team

What’S gooD for the boDy May be gooD for the braIn

RESEARCH


reSourceSFor more on cognitive issues and MS, visit nationalMSsociety.org/cognition. To learn more about exercise and MS, visit nationalMSsociety.org/exercise, or call 1-800-344-4867 to find out about exercise programs in the area.

looked at the impacts of a 12-week computer- assisted course that focused on training to increase memory and attention (the course was previously reported to improve attention and executive thinking abilities). using functional MrI, which allows a real-time glimpse of the brain at work, they found indicators that brain activity had increased in specific areas. This improvement appeared to persist at least six months after the training was completed.

researchers from Milan and from Kessler also reported that people with MS with more “brain reserve” (larger brain size) and more “cognitive reserve” (increasing the ability to withstand or postpone MS-associated decline in cognition with activities such as doing puzzles or playing music) were at lower risk for cognitive changes associated with brain lesions. even when brain size is accounted for, those with more cognitive reserve appear to have lower risk for cognitive changes.

There’s nothing any of us can do about the size of our brains. but growing evidence suggests that people may be able to build cognitive reserve

by engaging in enrichment activities (Words with Friends anyone?). It’s exciting to think that actions we can take, such as some mental and physical training, can actually alter brain circuits, improve brain activity and possibly help slow the progression of MS.

It’S excItIng to thInk that actIonS We can take, Such aS SoMe MentaL anD phySIcaL traInIng, can poSSIbLy SLoW the progreSSIon of MS.

Summaries of the meeting can be viewed on the AAN’s website at www.abstracts2view.com/aan, or visit www.nationalMSsociety.org/research for an overview of MS-related research presented at the meeting. n

bruce bebo, PhD, is associate vice president of Discovery research at the National MS Society, and was previously a research immunologist focusing

on the influence of sex hormones on MS. he is a passionate Society volunteer, fundraiser and advocate, fueled in part by the fact that his mother has lived with MS for more than 30 years.

read more of Dr. bebo’s blog posts about research presentations at the annual AAN meeting at blog.nationalMSsociety.org, where this was originally published.


BIKE MS


LIvIng WIth MS

thIrty-SIx yearS of MSby GAIl ISAAcSoN

I have had multiple sclerosis for 36 years. I was diagnosed in 1976 when I was 26 years old. That means I have officially had MS longer than I have not had MS. Whew.

If you asked me who I was before the world came to an end, I’d probably say active, tal-ented, theatrical — the same words I’d use to describe myself now. you see, the world did not come to an end for me. even though no one could assure me it wouldn’t.

The title “drama queen” was invented for me. My plan was to spend my life singing and dancing on a stage. I was so stagestruck almost any stage would do. I was working toward this goal when, one summer day in 1976, I had trouble balancing on my toes and I couldn’t make my fingers sign my name. oh yes, and my head had a spacy feeling, as though air had been pumped into it. had I morphed into an immense beach ball?

The following day I was back to normal. A few weeks later, I was an airhead again, but now I was a beach ball with a limp. Was I crazy? I consulted a shrink to try to make sense of the melee my life had become. but he thought my symptoms were real and sent me to the man to whom I owe my ability to have lived a relatively normal life with MS — my neurologist, Dr. Neil Allen.

“I have offIcIaLLy haD MS Longer than I have not haD MS.”

After a spinal tap (there were no MrIs back then), Dr. Allen diagnosed me with multiple sclerosis, words that, after 35 years as a professional writer, I still cannot spell. In 1976 there were no MS support groups to welcome me to the club, no injectable wonder drugs, no categories like relapsing-remitting or secondary-progressive.

Dr. Allen treated me with prednisone*. I loved it because it beat back the madman. I hated it because it made my face look like

gaIL ISaacSon WIth her canIne coMpanIon MaggIe

LIVING WITH MS

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humpty Dumpty. And make no mistake; I have always been exceedingly vain. I came by this trait honestly from my beautiful mother, who had made it her life’s work to see her only child betrothed to a Jewish doctor or lawyer.

Now that MS was in the first line of my bio, what was my life like? I had bad days, when I resembled an extra from Monty Python’s “Ministry of Silly Walks.” other days, I was so dizzy I did a sloppy tango with walls and refrigerator doors. but then I had good days, days so good that it seemed like I didn’t have MS at all.

“I haD baD DayS, When I reSeMbLeD an extra froM Monty python’S ‘MInIStry of SILLy WaLkS.’”

The best advice, and what has kept me going for 36 years, was given to me by Dr. Allen. “Get on with your life. Don’t let MS define who you are. MS is unpredictable and affects everyone differently, so you must learn to know your MS and be your own doctor.” This last statement was incredibly ahead of its time, and remains so today.

I took his advice and carried on. I hung up my tap shoes for good and focused on another talent, writing. I procured a job at an advertising agency and moved downtown so I could walk, or sometimes limp, to work.

From my vantage point of 60 years, my life has not been very different from anyone else’s. I have continually tried to challenge myself, physically as well as mentally. It hasn’t always been easy, but MS has not ruined my life. I inject a disease-modifying drug three times a week, which has taken away many of the surprises. I still experience fatigue and a handful of other manageable demons, but through a strict dietary regime and endeavoring to write and exercise most days, mine is a fine life.

oh and did I mention my wonderful husband of 17 years? heart disease is part of his life, just as MS plays a role in mine. We hold hands on life’s roller coaster, take long walks with our baby, a yellow labrador retriever, and hold on to the wonder of it all, trying not to fall down. What more can anyone ask for? n

Gail Isaacson can be heard reading her essays on chicago Public radio, Iowa Public radio and radio harbor country in southwest Michigan. her essays have been featured in the chicago Tribune and many literary magazines. Visit her website at www.gailisaacson.com.

* editor’s Note: prednisone is often used to treat relapses in MS today.


NEWLY DIAGNOSED

IS It hArDEr tO WOrk WIth MS?Julie Stachowiak, PhD

Many people with multiple sclerosis find it difficult to continue working, even in the early years of the disease. tasks that seemed challenging before MS can become seemingly insurmountable afterward. The fluctuation of daily symptoms and unknown levels of future disability make mapping out a strategic career path a challenge, to say the least. we simply do not know what the future holds around our ability to perform a job.

“I AM AbLE tO WOrk MOrE WhEN I fEEL GOOD, LESS WhEN I fEEL bAD, AND tAkE A quIck NAp If NEEDED.”

i am lucky enough to be able to work from home. i am able to work more when i feel good, less when i feel bad, and take a quick nap if needed. There are days when i can work a full day, but there are many days when i do not feel productive at all — when even looking at the computer screen feels like torture.

i know that as each year has gone on, the problems that i have had in trying to work efficiently seem to get worse. however, recent research indicates that some people who are newly diagnosed or have had an episode of a clinically isolated syndrome may already need to adjust their time at work.

Researchers in the Netherlands wanted to look at how MS-related cognitive dysfunction affected work in people who are recently diagnosed with MS. in the cognition and Socio-economics (coGNiSec) study, the researchers studied 45 people who had been diagnosed with MS or had a clinically isolated syndrome within the past two years and have been on disease-modifying therapy for less than six months or not at all.

WhAt thEY fOuND: n People with higher levels of fatigue and

disability all decreased their working hours within 12 months following diagnosis.

MEMOrY ISSuES MAY IMpAct EMpLOYMENt

NEWLY DIAGNOSED

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n lower long-term memory scores correlated with a lower number of hours and days spent working during the week.

n People who scored lower on “focused attention” and “speed of memory” were more likely to say they “wished to work less.”

n Scores on tests assessing depression (Beck Depression inventory) did not correlate at all with quantity of working hours.

while its findings need to be replicated in larger studies, so far this research shows that cognitive dysfunction can negatively impact the capacity to work, even in the very early stages of MS.

WOrkING A bALANcEwhat does this mean? let’s face it, even jobs that we love can lose some of their luster when we have to negotiate symptoms that add to our physical disability. while it is tempting to keep pushing ourselves to do more and overcome some of these challenges, it is important to remind ourselves that we may have very real cognitive symptoms related to our MS that are impacting our abilities to work the same way we did in the past.

“... SO fAr thIS rESEArch ShOWS thAt cOGNItIvE DYSfuNctION cAN NEGAtIvELY IMpAct thE cApAcItY tO WOrk, EvEN IN thE vErY EArLY StAGES Of MS.”

on the other hand, many people with MS continue working long after their diagnosis. Disease-modifying therapies, new technologies, better symptom management, legal employment protections and community resources can help you remain in the workforce — and education and preparation can be your most powerful tools for success. n

Diagnosed with MS in 2003, Julie Stachowiak, PhD, is the author of The Multiple Sclerosis Mani-festo and www.ms.about.com. originally posted at blog.nationalMSsociety.org

tOOLS tO WOrkif you’re struggling to keep up at work, but aren’t ready to throw in the towel just yet, visit www.nationalMSsociety.org/ employment or call an MS Navigator at 1-800-344-4867 to learn more about your options and get connected with employ-ment resources in your area.

The Job accommodation Network at www.askjan.org also offers information on a range of subjects for working people with disabilities.


aDvocacy

vIctory In MeDIcare SettLeMentby MArcellA DurAND

For years, Medicare’s so-called “Improvement Standard” denied coverage of certain treatment services to people with multiple sclerosis and other diseases. however, in october, a settlement to end the standard was reached in a nationwide lawsuit in which the National MS Society was a plaintiff. The Society joined other national organizations including the Parkinson’s Action Network, the Alzheimer’s Association, united cerebral Palsy and Paralyzed Veterans of America in a class-action suit to challenge the centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (cMS) over the standard.

The standard denied Medicare coverage for services such as skilled nursing facilities, home health and outpatient therapy benefits like physical or occupational therapy to Medicare beneficiaries living with MS if they did not show improve-ment. however, these often-expensive services can be critical to prevent decline or maximize

independence. The standard actually violated Medicare’s own official regulations, which state that “the restoration potential of a patient is not the deciding factor” for coverage. The agreement to end the standard will vastly benefit people with MS and their families, helping place essential services back in their reach.

once the settlement is approved by chief Judge christina reiss of the u.S. District court in Vermont, where the suit was filed, the standard’s use will effectively end. cMS will revise the Medicare benefit Policy Manual so that coverage standards will instead be based on people’s need for skilled care, regardless whether they show improvement. In addition, cMS will conduct a nationwide educational campaign about the changes, which apply to Medicare and to private Medicare Advantage plans.

For more information and to follow the settle-ment’s progress, visit www.MSActivist.org, or sign up for MS eNeWS at www.nationalMS society.org/signup. n

Marcella Durand is the content planning and development manager for the Society.

MS actIvIStS heLp Make change happen.

ADVOCACY

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On January 24, 2013, a Federal Judge approved a settlement in the Medicare Improvement Standard case, Jimmo vs. Sebelius, during a standard fairness hearing. The National MS Society was a plaintiff in this case and sees this development as a critical step forward for thousands of people with MS nationwide.

Background: • Fordecades,Medicarebeneficiaries–particu-

larly those with long-term or degenerating conditions and those who need rehabilitation services – have been denied necessary care based on the “Improvement Standard”.

• ThispracticehasresultedinMedicarecoveragefor vital care being denied to thousands of individuals on the grounds that their condition was stable, chronic or not improving, or that the necessary rehabilitative services were for “maintenance only.”

• Thelawsuit,Jimmov.Sebelius,wasbroughton behalf of a nationwide class of Medicare beneficiaries by six individual beneficiaries and seven national organizations – including the Society – to challenge the use of the illegal Improvement Standard.

Next steps: • Withthesettlementnowofficiallyapproved,

the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is tasked with revising its Medicare Benefit Policy Manual and numerous other policies, guidelines and instructions to ensure that Medicare coverage is available for skilled maintenance services in home health, nursing home and outpatient settings.

• CMSmustalsodevelopandimplementanationwide education campaign for all who make Medicare determinations to ensure that beneficiaries with chronic conditions are not denied coverage for critical services because their underlying conditions will not improve.

What this means for people living with MS: • TheSettlementAgreementstandardsfor

Medicare coverage of skilled maintenance services apply now – while CMS works on policy revisions and its education campaign. The Society encourages providers and/or patients to appeal should they be denied Medicare for skilled maintenance nursing or therapy because they are “not improving.”

• Forpeopleneedingassistancewithappeals,the Center for Medicare Advocacy (another plaintiff in the case) has self-help materials available. This information can help individuals understand proper coverage rules and learn how to contest Medicare denials for outpatient, home health or skilled nursing facility care. The Society also offers a guide to aid in the dialogue between MS clinicians and health plans when disputes over coverage arise.

• AlthoughtheJimmoSettlementAgreementrejects the Improvement Standard, it does not guarantee coverage. The case was not intended to, nor could it, eliminate the need to prove that care is medically reasonable and necessary. Providers and beneficiaries still must overcome that hurdle.

Questions About Appeals? Contact the Medicare rights Center at 1-800-333-4114

update on Medicare Improvement Standards

MEDICAL UPDATE


WayS to gIve

StILL WaLkIng after 20 yearSby SISTer KAreN ZIelINSKI, oSF

The Sisters of St. Francis don’t walk for the free fruit, pop, pizza, coffee and bagels. Although the goodies are delicious, the “Sister Act” Toledo Walk MS Team walk to do some serious good. In fact, we’ve been walking to help people who live with multiple sclerosis for 20 years now.

What reaLLy MatterSSome Sister Act team members push themselves and walk 10 miles. Some walk a mile, while still others (like me!) walk a few symbolic feet. Distance does not matter. It is the faithfulness to helping our sisters and brothers with MS that matters. The opportunity to raise funds for MS research, programs and education propels us to fill out our Walk MS registration forms, collect pledges and show up on sometimes rainy and cold spring mornings.Twenty years ago, I met with the first

members of the Sister Act Team at ottawa Park in Toledo, ohio. every year, more and more members joined our team. Associates of the Sisters of St. Francis (men and women who partner with the Sisters of St. Francis in their mission and prayer) joined, along with co-workers and relatives.

It wasn’t always easy to do. but the sisters were determined and faithful. Some years there were 30 walkers, some years three. No matter what, the Sister Act team walked each year.

heLp Where there’S a neeDour Walk MS team is a continuation of the sisters’ ministry to help where there is a need. Sister Act team members have raised tens of thousands of dollars to end MS forever, to stop MS in its tracks. ending MS means no one will receive an MS diagnosis again. every step matters. every dollar counts. every person makes a difference.

For the three Sisters of St. Francis who live with MS — Sisters Mary lou Kurek, elizabeth Zielinski and myself — the Sister Act team has walked right into our hearts. What a wonderful gift of healing! To learn about how to create your own team, visit www.walkMS.org, or call 1-800-344-4867. n

Karen J. Zielinsi, oSF, a Franciscan Sister in Sylvania, ohio, was diagnosed with MS in 1975. She is the director of canticle Studio, a creative office of products which focus on

spirituality and health, and the author of Hope and Help for Living with Illness (Franciscan Media).

WAYS TO GIVE

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MS Expo: Living Now and Looking Forward

WHEN: Saturday, July 20, 2013TIME: registration Opens 9:00a.m. educational Workshops 10:00a.m.-3:00p.m. Care Partner Workshop 10:00a.m.-3:00p.m. vendor exhibits 9:00a.m.-4:00p.m. *ComplimentarylunchprovidedWHERE: Grand Hyatt Atlanta 3300PeachtreeRoadNE•Atlanta,GA30305 *parkingwillnotbevalidatedforthisprogram

You must pre-register for this program by July 10, 2013. Call 678-672-1000 / 800-344-4867 or visit www.MSgeorgia.org This program is not appropriate for children under the age of 16.

This program has been generously supported by EMD Serono, Novartis, Teva and Questcor.

Join us for free educational workshops that focus on disease and symptom management, exercise and wellness, advances in MS, carepartner support

and more. Vendor exhibits will showcase products and services that enhance the lives of those living with MS.enhance the lives of those living with MS.


METRO ATLANTA BASED SELF-HELP GROUPS

African Americans with MS Self-Help GroupContact Info: JoAnn: (404) 932-2662Email: [email protected] Seventh Day Adventist Church291 Hamilton E. Holmes Drive Atlanta, GA 30318When do we meet? Meets the 2nd Saturday of every month from 3:00pm - 5:00 pm

Atlanta Women’s Self-Help GroupContact Info: Kristin (404) 351-0205 {ext. 110}MS Center of Atlanta 3200 Downwood Circle in the 4th floor MSCA break room, Atlanta, GAWhen do we meet? Meets the 4th Tuesday of every month from 6:30pm - 8:00pm(No meetings in November and December)

Decatur Self-Help GroupContact Info: O.J. (770)-256-2516Email: [email protected] forest Community baptist Church 23250 Rainbow Road Decatur, GA 30334When do we meet? Meets the 2nd Saturday of every month from 10:00am - 12:00pm

Lawrenceville Women’s Self-Help GroupContact Info: Karen (678) 975-7167Location: McKendree Methodist Church1570 Lawrenceville-Suwanee Rd Lawrenceville, GA 30043When do we meet? Meets the 2nd Saturday of every month from 10:30am - 12:00pmThis group will not be meeting until September

MS Institute at Shepard Self-Help Group: “S.H.E.P.S”Contact Info: Rachael (404) 457-4582 Email: [email protected]: Kate brunson (404) 402-0368MS Institute at Shepherd 2020 Peachtree Road Atlanta, GA 30309When do we meet? Meets the 2nd Saturday of every month from 10:00am - 12:00pm

Perimeter – Atlanta Area: “Dine and Discuss: For Partners and Spouses”(This is a “Care Partner Group” not meant for individu-als living with MS)Contact Info: Jan (404) 579-6782Location: LA Madeleine Restaurant at The Perimeter 1165 Perimeter Center West Atlanta, GA 30346When do we meet? Meets the 2nd Thursday of every month from 7:00pm - 8:30pm

Snellville Self-Help GroupContact Info: Vicki (770) 978-1517Email: [email protected]: Lois: (770) 339-6520Eastside Medical Center 1700 Medical Way SW Snellville, GA 30078 When do we meet? Meets the 4th Saturday of every month from 10:00am - 12:00pm

OUTSIDE “METRO” ATLANTA BASED SELF-HELP GROUPS

Albany Self-Help GroupContact Info: Janet (229) 435-2517Email: [email protected] Putney NW Conference Center 2336 Dawson Road Albany, GA 31701When do we meet? Meets the 1st Monday of every month from 6:00pm - 8:00pm This group does not meet in September

Albany -African American Self-Help GroupContac Info: Colette (229) 395-4150Chosen to Conquer, Inc. 1120 W. broad Avenue Suite C-1, Albany, GA 31707When do we meet? Meets the 1st Saturday of every month from 11:00am - 1:00pm

Athens MS FamilyContact Info: Siri baker (706) 353-0606 Email: [email protected] Co-Facilitator: Danielle (706) 983-9802Email: [email protected] Neurological Associates 1086A baxter Street Athens, GA 30606

SELF-HELP GROUPS GEORGIA

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When do we meet? Meets the 3rd Thursday of every other month from 6:00pm - 8:00pm in the months of Jan, Mar, May, July, Sept and Nov

Augusta MS Self-Help GroupContact Info: Erin (706) 721-1411Georgia Health Sciences - MS Center 6th floor 1120 15th Street Augusta, GAWhen do we meet? Meets the last Monday of every month from 6:00pm - 7:30pm

Cartersville “Bartow County Self-Help Group”Contact Info: Towanda (770) 344-8887 Email: [email protected] Street 650 Henderson Dr. Cartersville, GA When do we meet? Meets the 4th Thursday of every month from 6:30pm - 8:30pm

Camilla Self-Help Group“Mitchell County MS Self-Help Group”Contact Info: Lucas (229) 224-5979Mitchell County Hospital-Community Room90E. Stephens Street Camilla, GA When do we meet? Meets the 2nd Tuesday of every month from 6:00pm – 7:00pm

Columbus, Georgia“Chattahoochee Valley Self-Help Group” Contact Info: Lori (706) 575-6925Email: [email protected] Public LibraryWhen do we meet: This group’s schedule changes monthly; please call Lori for updated times and days.

Cumming Self-Help GroupContact Info: Anthony (Tony) (678) 455-4139Email: [email protected] forsyth Hospital 1400 Doctor bldg. Cumming, GAWhen do we meet? Meets the 1st Saturday of every month from 10:00am - 12:00pm

Douglasville Self-Help GroupContact Info: Stephanie (770) 577-0408first Presbyterian Church Parlor Room Douglasville, GAWhen do we meet? Meets the 3rd Thursday of every month from 7:00pm - 8:30pm

Macon - Hope Floats Self-Help Group Contact: Marty (478) 742-9011Pine Gate 300 Charter blvd Macon, GAWhen do we meet? Meets the last Monday of every month from 6:00pm - 8:00pm

Newton County Self-Help GroupContact Info: Jean (678) 603-3760 or (724) 822-8507Newton General Hospital Auditorium Covington, GAWhen do we meet? Meets the 2nd Tuesday of every month from September - May from 7:00pm - 8:30pm

Peachtree City/ Fayettville: “Let’s Lunch: MS Group for Working Professionals”Contact Info: Lynn (612)-655-9901Email: [email protected] fayette Hospital1255 Highway 54 West: building 12793rd floor Conference Room Dfayetteville, GA 30214When do we meet? Meets the last Saturday of the month from 11:00am - 1:00pm

Thomaston Self-Help Group“T.A.M.S. Self-Help Group”Contact Info: Sherry (706) 472-3273 or (706) 975-9762American Pie Pizzeria of Thomaston 710 N. Church Street Thomaston, GA

When do we meet? Meets the 3rd Thursday of every month from 12:30pm - 2:00pmThomasville MS Self-Help GroupContact Info: Mike (229) 346-9746Plaza Restaurant - Thomasville, GAWhen do we meet? Meets the 3rd Tuesday of every month from 6:00pm - 8:00pm


Valdosta MS Self Help Group Contact Info: barbara (229) 247-7792 Smith Northview Hospital 4280 North Valdosta Road Valdosta, GA 31602 Located in the cafeteria of the hospitalWhen do we meet? Meets the 3rd Thursday of every month at 6:30pm

Vidalia Self-Help Group “Looking Good Self-Help Group”Contact Info: Paula (912) 538-0142Email: [email protected] House 723 North Street West Highway 292 Vidalia, GA When do we meet? Meets the 2nd Tuesday of every other month from 7:00pm - 9:00pm

Waleska Self Help GroupContact Info: Jennifer Email: [email protected] Outdoor family yMCAG. Cecil Pruett Community Center family yMCA 151 Waleska St. Canton, GA 30114When do we meet? Meets the 2nd Tuesday of every month from 6:00pm - 7:30pm

Warner Robins “Middle GA Self-Help Group”Contact Info: Michelle (478) 335-4675 Email: [email protected] Houston Medical Center, LL, North Tower1601 Watson blvd. Warner Robins, GAWhen do we meet? Meets the 2nd Tuesday of every month from 6:30pm - 8:30pm

Woodstock MS Self-Help GroupContact Info: Zaida (770)-485-4226St. Michael the Archangel Churchinside the main church building 490 Arnold Mill Rd. Woodstock, GA 30188When do we meet? Meets the 3rd Saturday of every month from 11:00am-1:00pm (No meetings in July and August) This group starts its meetings with a short opening prayer

SAVANNAH BASED SELF-HELP GROUPS

Pooler Self-Help Group“Pooler’s Positive Movers and Shakers: MS Share & Support Group”Contact Info: Andraya: (912) 658-9629 or [email protected]

Savannah Self-Help Group –“PRYME2”Contact Info: Virginia (912) 355-5832 Email: [email protected] One of the rooms in St. Joseph HospitalWhen do we meet? Meets the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 6:00pm Please call Virginia to confirm location and meeting dates.

TELEPHONE BASED SELF-HELP GROUP

Statesboro SupportsContact Info: Carolyn: (912) 531-0416***This is a telephone support group. Please contact Carolyn for additional information.

***The National MS Society is a secular organiza-tion, welcoming those of every faith, and those that espouse none. ***

Please contact the Self-Help Group leaders prior to attending a group meeting to assure that the meet-ing time, date, and location are accurate. Groups occasionally change their meeting schedules to par-ticipate in other National MS Society events. Please note, our Self Help Group leaders are volunteers who have been trained by the National MS Soci-ety. They are not necessarily licensed mental health providers. Please respect their role as a volunteer and contact them during reasonable hours of 8am-8pm. If you are facing an immediate crisis please dial 911. For more information on attending Self-Help Groups or starting Self-Help Groups in your community please call 678-672-1000 OR 1-800-FIGHTMS


Spring ms connection 2013

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