WINTER 2014 BLUE RIDGE CHAPTER
MS CONNECTION NEWSLETTER RESEARCHING ACCESSIBILITY
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INSIDE 03 THIS ISSUE
2013 - A YEAR IN REVIEW
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ROANOKE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM
WALK MS: REGISTER NOW
2014 TELECONFERENCE SERIES
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MS CONNECTION: WINTER 2014
WE’RE HERE FOR YOU
2013 YEAR IN REVIEW
The 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.
VOLUNTEERS HONORED The Blue Ridge Chapter honored some of its best and brightest volunteers at the Annual Meeting and Awards Dinners, held in Charlottesville, VA and Charleston, WV.
Learn more about what we do, how we help and how you can get involved. Call 1 (800) 344-4867.
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
Rita Helmick (pictured top left) received the Norman Cohn Hope Award, the highest award given to a volunteer by the chapter. Several Terry Phelps Hall of Fame inductees were announced. Eben Morrow (pictured middle left) accepted the award for Special Event Volunteers on behalf of CoveGarden Ruritan Club. Larry Renfroe (pictured bottom left) was recognized for his work in advocacy. Also annouced was the induction of Bike MS team Winchester Wheelman. Suzanne O’Connell received the Blue Ridge Chapter Service Award for her work with Cinderella’s Closet at Weekend Escape: The Brian Mason Respite Camp. Mission Possible award winners were Gail Callaway, Dale Dobroth, Jacob Irwin and Alfred Richmond for Bike MS: Tour De Vine; Chuck Jones for Bike MS: Country Roads Ride; and Janet Driggers, Jeff Graffeo, Betsy Kennedy, Valerie Kirkman, Joseph Larounis, Brian Miller and Doug Mullins for Walk MS. Congratulations to all and thank you for your dedication and hard work!
NATIONALMSSOCIETY.ORG | 1-800-344-4867
2013 YEAR IN REVIEW
SUCCESSES & MILESTONES The Blue Ridge Chapter had an exciting year in 2013! Because of the support of dedicated event participants, sponsors and donors, the chapter has been able to continue providing an array of programs and services to those impacted by multiple sclerosis. • The chapter’s Direct Financial Assistance program provided $69,400 of medically necessary financial support to 208 clients. The total value of those projects was much greater as many of those were completed through collaboration with partner organizations such as Bike the US for MS, the MS Foundation and Project Crossroads. • The chapter offered 25 educational programs via teleconference, accommodating those in rural areas or with accessibility issues. • The Retreat at the Breaks hosted 72 participants while Weekend Escape: The Brian Mason Respite Camp hosted 177. • The chapter hosted Can Do MS for their premier 2-day program Take Charge in Charleston. 70 participated. • 9 MS Activists in Virginia and 8 in West Virginia met with their respective state legislators to ask for the expansion of Medicaid and affordable and accessible housing.
03 These programs and services are made possible by the dedication of volunteers, the commitment of event participants and the generosity of donors. Nearly $1.9 million was raised in the Blue Ridge Chapter last year. • 22 Walk MS events were supported by nearly 3,500 participants and raised almost $473,000! • Bike MS: Tour De Vine celebrated its 25th anniversary with special guest performer David Osmond and a moving candlelight ceremony at Pollak Vineyards. • Over 500 cyclists and 200 volunteers helped make both Tour De Vine and Bike MS: Country Roads Ride a huge success. The combined efforts of these two rides helped raise $517,000, an increase of almost $30,000 from 2012! • The chapter hosted 4 Dinner of Champions events and a Women on the Move luncheon, raising nearly $500,000. The past year was also remarkable in advancements made through research. • The FDA approved Tecfidera (BG-12), the 3rd oral disease-modifying therapy for relapsingremitting MS. • 2 potential MS therapies are now before the FDA. • The Society participated in The Progressive MS Alliance, which release its first 2 requests for applications to speed research in progressive MS. Nationally, the Society’s investment in research totaled $48 million to fund 308 new and ongoing projects. The Blue Ridge Chapter contributed $415,000 of that total.
04 NEWLY DIAGNOSED
THE FIRST THREE MONTHS BY KATIE JENNINGS
Incredibly, it’s been three months since I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Time flies when you’re busy and confused. These months have been a whirlwind of appointments and reading and exploration. I would not presume to give advice to people who have years of MS under their belts. But I would like to share my perspective about the bad and the good of being newly diagnosed, beyond just the physical symptoms.
THESE MONTHS HAVE BEEN A WHIRLWIND OF APPOINTMENTS AND READING AND EXPLORATION. THE BAD: I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT’S GOING ON I’m a person who prefers specifics. I like plans. I like goals. I once ran a marathon largely because I printed out a schedule and refused to deviate from it for five months. Since my diagnoses, I’ve spent a lot of time
MS CONNECTION: WINTER 2014 coming to terms with the fact that not everything is black and white. In January and February, I visted three different MS specialists, and each gave me a different diagnosis (relapsing-remitting, primaryprogressive, and finally progressive-relapsing). Each doctor - well-meaning and concerned gave me a completely different sense of what the coming years may have in store. Maybe I’m standing on the edge of a cliff. Or maybe I’m just looking out at some rolling hills. If anything has become clear to me, it’s that nothing is clear. To be told, “You have MS, “doesn’t actually tell you very much. Each of us will have a unique experience, and our experiecnes will evolve and unfold at a pace largely outside of our control. For a planner like me, that’s very, very frustrating.
THE GOOD: I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I NEED TO KNOW I have a six-year-old child, a full-time job, friends whom I never have time to see, and a family that lives too far away. Like many of you, I consider it a good day if I can return even half of the message on my list. Life doesn’t leave a lot of time for considering the big picture. But learning that I have MS has crystalized one thing for me. As hokey as it sounds, the things that matter are the people I love. If everything else is stripped away (and it might be), those relationships will still be the things that matter. That’s not to say that I’ve given up on more trivial matters. I still care about whether my skinny jeans fit and where I’ll go on vacation
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NATIONALMSSOCIETY.ORG | 1-800-344-4867 this summer. But there’s a clarity about my priorities now that I may never have gained without a big kick in the pants. MS is nothing if not a big kick in the pants.
THERE’S A CLARITY ABOUT MY PRIORITIES NOW THAT I MAY NEVER HAVE GAINED WITHOUT A BIG KICK IN THE PANTS. I’ve chosen to be very public about my diagnosis. In the past three months, I’ve heard from many, many friends - and some strangers - with messages of love and support. And however
difficult the reason for them, I won’t overlook what a gift those messages have been for me. I’m lucky despite it all, and I’m grateful. I hope you all have days that remind you of that as well. Katie Jennings keeps busy juggling a son, a husband, a job, an old house, a bossy cat and unpredictable Vermont weather. She was diagnosed with progressive relapsing MS in December 2012. Visit Katie’s blog at www.steadyshegoes.com.
LIVING WITH MS
MAKING TREATMENT & LIFESTYLE DECISIONS People living with multiple sclerosis and their families now have more tools available to them than ever before, including 10 disease-modifying treatments, many symptom-management strategies and a spectrum of lifestyle-related options that can improve quality of life. However, making choces about which tools to pursue can be a complicated and emotional process, and it’s not the same for any two people. Learn about the factors you should consider when making your own treatment and lifestyle decisions. Call 1-800-344-4867to request the DVD and companion book, Making Treatment and Lifestyle Decisions: Thinking Clearly About Benefits and Risks, now available in Spanish and English through the Society’s North American Education Program.
Connect with other people newly diagnosed with MS and share your experiences at www.MSconnection.org/groups/ newlydiagnosed.
06 RESEARCH
STUDYING ACCESSIBLE HOUSING Affordable, accessible housing is a crucial need for many people who have advanced multiple sclerosis. For Malachy Bishop, PhD, CRC (University of Kentucky), who was funded by the Society’s Health Care Delivery and Policy Research Program to study housing needs, the issue became personal when his father’s mobility was affected by a neurological condition similar to MS.
How did you become interested in researching housing and people with MS? I have always been interested in the ways that people learn to live and thrive with chronic neurological conditions. I had been researching aspects of living with MS for several years, but after seeing the effect that my father’s increasingly limited mobility had on both of my parents, understanding and addressing the specialized housing needs of people with MS became very important to me personally. Although housing was a new research area for me, I was fortunate to work with my co-investigator, Dr. Kathy SheppardJones, who is a leading researcher in this area.
MS CONNECTION: WINTER 2014 How did you capture the variety of people’s experiences of MS? We actively involved people with MS in the design of the survey. Then, with the help of housing consultants and MS experts, we traveled around the country to meet with diverse people with MS and health care professionals. We would discuss their perspectives, review the survey together, and make sure we were addressing all the issues that were important to them. We revised the survey many times based on their feedback. We also made sure people could complete the survey in different ways, including webbased surveys, mail-in surveys, and telephone interview. This helped us get information from people in different age groups. Finally, we surveyed people in every state, so we could explore different regional experiences.
What were some of your more striking findings? First, there is a large number of Americans with MS whose independence is affected by limited mobility. Approximately 7 out of 10 people reported some degree of mobility limitation that affected their ability to function in their homes and participate in their communities. Also striking was the number of people who live in inaccessible homes. About 1 in 5 Americans with MS said they are limited in their homes because it is not accessible. Although there are many programs and resources available to help people afford making their homes safe and more accessible,
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most people were unaware of them. This is critical, because more than a quarter of participants said that their financial situation has prevented them from making needed modifications. Of particular note was the high number of people who said that they need, but do not have, safety features such as grab bars in the bathroom (15.2%) or such basic necessities as an accessible bathroom, an accessible kitchen or an accessible entrance to their homes (about 10% each).
likely to report having a mobility limitation, to be limited in their residence, and to say they are not confident that they will be able to continue to live independently in their residence in the near future. Accessible housing for people in or approaching this age group is particularly important as their safety, mobility and independence in and around the home are at greater risk.
Finally, we found that regardless of the severity of the MS, people whose residence was fully accessible reported a higher quality of life and were more confident that they would be able to live independently in their home in the future.
Healthcare providers should absolutely have a more active role in evaluating residential accessibility and safety, and in providing specialized housing resources and information. This is one of the areas we hope to focus on in future research.
When should people with MS start thinking about housing?
The Society’s brochure, Affordable Accessible Housing: A Guide for People with MS, can help families living with MS evaluate their housing needs and better understand the range of housing options that are available to them. Go to www.nationalMSsociety.org/housing.
We recommend that housing accessibility be a consideration in any long-term housing decision at any age, but this is especially true for people with MS over the age of 50. People over 50 were significantly more
Do healthcare providers have a role in bringing up the topic?
CHAPTER RECEIVES GRANT FOR SERVICES The Blue Ridge Chapter is please to announce that it is the recipient of a $5,000 grant from the Bama Works Fund of Dave Matthews Band. The grant will augment funding for direct financial services and allow the Society to expand its ability to help low-income people with MS, specifically those in need of medical equipment who are patients of the UVA James Q. Miller MS Clinic.
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MS CONNECTION: WINTER 2014 “virtual” MS Activist, you will receive real-time updates on Action Day through Facebook and Twitter. We’ll even provide some sample status updates and blogs to help you spread the word about MS issues through your own social media efforts. You can also share your own experience with MS by e-mailing your legislators directly.
LEGISLATIVE PRIORITES
The 2014 legislative priorities include:
ADVOCACY
YOU CAN BE AN MS ACTIVIST
• transparency and continuity of prescription drug coverage • expansion of state Medicaid programs • increasing access to care in rural areas • funding critical resources.
SAVE THE DATES - VIRGINIA
The National MS Society is hosting annual Action Days in Virginia and West Virginia. MS Activists from across the Commonwealth of Virginia and the state of West Virginia will travel to Richmond and Charleston respectively to meet with their state legislators and advocate for people living with MS and their families. Action Day is an excellent way for you to voice your concerns, share your story and impact legislation that could potentially change lives. If you are interested in participating, contact Paul Kingston at paul.kingston@nmss.org or call 434.971.6844.
Action Day Virtual Training
VIRTUAL ACTIVISTS
West Virginia Action Day Training
If you are unable to travel to Action Day in Richmond or Charleston, we invite you to participate in Virtual Action Day from your office or home by participating online! As a
TBA Email: ashley.chapman@nmss.org
Virginia Action Day Training Sunday, January 26 - Richmond
Virginia Action Day Monday, January 27
SAVE THE DATES - WEST VIRGINIA Action Day Virtual Training Date TBA Email: paul.kingston@nmss.org
*Sunday, February 23 - Charleston
West Virginia Action Day
*Monday, February 24 - Charleston *tentative; subject to change
NATIONALMSSOCIETY.ORG | 1-800-344-4867
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EDUCATION
TURNING CHALLENGES INTO POSSIBILITIES SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2014 ~ 9:45AM TO 3PM HOLIDAY INN ~ 3315 ORDWAY DR. ~ ROANOKE, VA Join us to learn about making positive changes that will make a difference in your life! Explore the physical, social, emotional and intellectual aspects of living with MS and learn ways to integrate wellness into everyday activities. There is no cost to attend and lunch will be provided. Call 800-344-4867 to register. Special thanks to program sponsor TEVA Neuroscience. Guest Speakers:
Pat Kennedy, RN, CNP, MSCN
Can Do MS Nurse Educator and Programs Consultant
Kennedy is a nurse practitioner working in the field of MS since 1987. She has been a member of the Can Do MS staff for 25 years and speaks to professionals and people living with MS throughout the U.S. and Canada. She is President of the International Organization of MS Nurses, serves on committees of the National MS Society and is active in The Consortium of MS Centers. She is the author of The Can Do Multiple Sclerosis Guide to Lifestyle Empowerment.
Mary Jo Rajek, OTL, MSCS
Occupational Therapist at UVA’s James Q. Miller MS Clinic An Official Society Partner in MS Care
Rajek is the occupational therapist at UVA’s James Q. Miller MS Clinic and an employee of Health South. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin Madison, she has served on the Blue Ridge Chapter’s board of trustees and the clinical advisory committee. She has a special interest in nutrition, exercise, fatigue, sleep, cognition and stress management. She is certified in the use of various rehabilitation technologies and interventions for the rehab management of MS patients.
Leigh Sato, PT, DPT, MSCS
Physical Therapist at UVA’s James Q. Miller MS Clinic An Official Society Partner in MS Care
Sato received her masters and doctorate degrees in physical therapy from Boston University. She has specialized in neurological rehabilitation at the UVA/HealthSouth Rehabilitation Clinic since 2000 and has worked with the James Q. Miller MS Clinic since 2009. Her areas of interest are neuro-recovery training, gait training, equipment evaluation to enhance mobility and adaptation of exercise programs to work for a variety of life styles.
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MS CONNECTION: WINTER 2014 mission, Tour De Vine will feature a Mission Engagement Tent. This is a place where volunteers can play MS 101 BINGO, try on the MS Symptom Experience Suit and interact with volunteers who are living with MS. Photo by Erik Irtenkauf
BIKE MS: TOUR DE VINE
MISSION READY
Bike MS: Tour De Vine has gotten off to a good start. Fundraising to date is ahead of where it was the same time last year and is on an upward swing. That’s good news as staff and volunteers are working hard to maximize donations in support of the Society’s programs, services, advocacy and research. “We have a very ambitious fundraising goal for 2014, but sharing the mission of the National MS Society is just as important,” says Ben Vucic, Bike MS Coordinator. “We want to celebrate medical advancements, provide educational opportunities and connect all our participants to our ultimate goal of creating a world free of MS.”
Vucic sees this as a big plus for the event. “This opens up an opportunity for anyone affected by MS who doesn’t want to ride or is unable to ride to be a part of Bike MS. It’s an opportunity to share your story about how MS has affected your life and also to thank the cyclists who are fundraising to support the Society’s extensive programs.” Another opportunity for participants to learn more about MS and the Society is a Bike MS team rally. Rallies are a fun way to recruit team members, kick off your fundraising efforts and raise awareness. “The team rally includes a personal story from a person whose life has been touched by MS.” In addition to creating a connection to the mission, the rallies offer an opportunity to create fundraising goals and generate fundraising ideas.
Bike MS: Tour De Vine is June 14-15. For more information or to register as a participant or volunteer, visit www.bikeMSva.org. If you would like to be a part of the Bike MS Mission In order to promote awareness of the Society’s Engagement effort, contact Ben Vucic at benjamin.vucic@nmss.org or 434.971.1073.
TWO HONORED AT CHARLOTTESVILLE DINNER OF CHAMPIONS The 22nd Annual Dinner of Champions in Charlottesville honored the nursing community by recognizing two of its leaders: Amy Black of Martha Jefferson Hospital and Dorrie Fontaine of UVA Nursing School. The event, held at Boar’s Head Inn in November, raised $158,000 to support the programs and research of the National MS Society. Jim Haden and Janie Heath served as co-chairs.
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NATIONALMSSOCIETY.ORG | 1-800-344-4867
WALK WITH US
WALK MS: 2014 PRESENTED BY STOP IN FOOD STORES It’s Walk season in the Blue Ridge Chapter...time to raise awareness and funds to create a world free of MS! We are recuiting volunteers in communities around the chapter to help plan the events and get more people involved. Our success depends on YOU! Please contact Deirdre Kelly at deirdre. kelly@nmss.org or 434-465-6038 to find out how you can make your Walk MS bigger and better!
READY TO REGISTER? Complete and mail this registration form or visit www.walkMSblueridge.org. ☐Walker
☐Virtual Walker* ☐Volunteer
* Virtual walkers do not attend the event but still fundraise for the mission.
Site:___________________________________________ Name______________________________ Address_________________________________
March 29 City____________________________________________ Charlottesville - The Pavilion Downtown April 5 State_____________________Zip___________________ Bristol - Sugar Hollow Park April 12 Phone__________________________________________ Charleston - Columbia Gas Building Email___________________________________________ April 19 Harrisonburg - James Madison University Date of Birth___________________________________ April 26 Clearbrook - Clearbrook Park My Fundraising goal is $_______________________ (I pledge to turn in some or all of my donations on or before Lexington - Washington & Lee University Walk MS) Martinsville - Jack Dalton Park Wheeling - We Banco Arena T-Shirt Size**_____________________________________ April 27 **for raising $125 or more Ashland, KY/Huntington, WV - Central Park New River Valley - Bisset Park at Radford Team Name_______________________________________ May 3 Beckley - YMCA Soccer Complex Team Captain_____________________________________ Bluefield - Bluefield City Park Culpeper - Culpeper Baptist Church Team fundraising goal is $_________________________ Lynchburg - Lynchburg College Tuesday, November 19, 2013 Reception and Dinner Morgantown - Hazel Ruby-McQuain Riverfront Park Make checks payable National 6:00 p.m. toto: 9:00 p.m. MS Society Roanoke - First Presbyterian Church Boar’s Head InnCarrington Place, Mail to: The Walk MS, 1020 August 31 Charlottesville, VA 22901 White Sulphur Springs - opportunities The Greenbrier Sponsorship are available. Contact Deirdre Kelly at (434) 465-6038.
Save the Date
12 MONEY MATTERS
FINANCES AS A FAMILY We share many things with our immediate families -- daily routines, closely guarded secrets, vacations, holidays and life milestones. However, many families don’t share one key element of their lives with one another -finances. Whether it’s one spouse who handles the responsibility or parents not including their children in financial discussions, it’s rare for the entire family to discuss financial matters. This could be for any number of reasons, including feeling insecure about finances, not wanting to burden others with financial issues, the belief that such topics are not enjoyable to share or the limited discussions we had growing up within our own families. A collective understanding of financial matters among all members of the family, however, is beneficial on many fronts. Discussing these topics in an open and honest fashion can increase knowledge, lower fear and encourage positive actions. Here are some do’s and don’ts when it comes to making financial matters a family affair.
DON’T TREAT IT AS A TABOO SUBJECT
Bring financial topics up in day-to-day conversations, discuss issues in front of your family, ask them for their input and advice on
MS CONNECTION: WINTER 2014 financial decisions you are facing and share financial articles or books you’ve read. Work to keep the lines of communication open and, with time, such discussions will become second nature.
DO TEACH CHILDREN OF ALL AGES ABOUT FINANCES
Start at an early age by discussing age-appropriate financial concepts, such as how to save money in a piggy bank. Build upon these concepts as your children grow. With older children, you can help them open a bank account and begin discussing compound interest and investing. Other great financial topics to talk about with children include careers and income, budgeting and credit.
DO SHARE YOUR MONEY JOURNEY - THE GOOD AND THE BAD
When discussing your financial history with your partner, spouse or children, it is easy to omit the less-than-favorable parts. Perhaps you misused credit in the past or you haven’t maximized your retirement savings. But don’t leave these out every portion of your money journey presents a teachable moment. Stay open and honest and encourage other family members to learn from the full range of your experiences.
DO INVOLVE THE FAMILY IN PHILANTHROPIC EFFORTS
For many of us, charitable giving is an important element of our financial lives. No matter the size or scale, donating to causes we care about holds great significance and personal meaning. Involvement of the family in this process can
NATIONALMSSOCIETY.ORG | 1-800-344-4867 help illustrate how money can be used as a tool to make the world a better place. Consider asking your spouse and/or children to research a charity they would like to support. Encourage your children to save their own money to donate to a cause. Share any letters of appreciation and stories you receive with your family.
DON’T AVOID DIFFICULT TOPICS There’s no doubt that discussions about estate planning and wealth transfer can be challenging. Nonetheless, sharing key financial information with spouses, children and/or elderly parents will serve to reduce fear and uncertainty for all involved. More importantly, it will save significant confusion, stress and worry in the future should the unthinkable occur. Possible information to discuss includes: • Names and contact information for your key tax, legal and financial advisors • Personal data (social security numbers, account numbers, passwords for financial websites) • The location of important records and documents • A summary of your cash and investment accounts • Any legal arrangements, such as wills, and who you have designated to carry out key legal and financial tasks • Directives (medical and/or financial powers of attorney)
13 DON’T HESITATE TO SEEK PROFESSIONAL ADVICE
If you feel uncertain about how much you know about financial topics such as budgeting, retirement goals and investments, reach out to an advisor who can help you understand better and whose insights you can then share with your family. Consider having family members join you for these meetings. They will be able to ask any questions they may have and feel like active participants. The Society’s Financial Education Partners program offers pro bono financial planning and education to people with special health or financial circumstances. Call 1-800-344-4867 to learn more, or visit www. nationalMSsociety.org/financialplanning. Pam Evason, CFA, CPA is a managing director at Windermer Wealth Advisors, LLC, an investment advisory firm located in Milwaukee, WI, and a member of the Wisconsin Chapter’s board of trustees. This article is for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional guidance and assistance in planning your financial future. The matters discussed here are provided as a starting point for further discussions with an investment professional familiar with your specific situation.
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MS CONNECTION: WINTER 2014
2014 TELECONFERENCE SERIES
SERIES ADDRESSES DIVERSE MS ISSUES The Blue Ridge Chapter is participating in the East Region teleconference series throughout the year to address a wide range of issues related to multiple sclerosis. You can participate from the comfort of your own phone for these informative calls that are 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 will be from 7-8 p.m.
EMPLOYMENT TELECONFERENCE SERIES - REGISTER NOW!
Register today for the Employment Teleconference Series! Call 800-344-4867 or visit www. nationalMSsociety.org/vab to register. The registration deadline is one week prior to the call. You must register individually for each call you wish to attend. • Maintaining Cognitive and Emotional Health While Unemployed - Thursday, February 20 • Federal Hiring Initiatives for People with Disabilities - Thursday, March 6 • Home-based Employment: What You Need to Know - Thursday, March 20 • Social Security Disability Application Secrets - Thursday, April 3
OTHER CALLS IN THE SERIES Be sure to check the chapter calendar at www.nationalMSsociety.org/vab for updates on additional calls in the series. Updates will also be announced in the MS Connection and through e-communications. Topics are subject to change.
“LINKS” QUALITY OF LIFE SERIES
Driving Rehabilitation - April 4 Walking Problems - April 8 How Kids Perceive MS - April 15 Emotional Health - April 22 Essential Legal Documents - April 29 MS: The African-American Experience - May 6 Topic To Be Announced - May 13 Complimentary Approcahes to MS - May 20 Research and Treatment Options - May 27
PROGRESSIVE MS TELECONFERENCE Topic To Be Announced - June 17
CAREGIVER SERIES
Strengthening Family Resilience - August 5 How to Make Your Life Easier - August 19
NEWLY DIAGNOSED SERIES
MS: The Basic Facts - September 2 Treatment Options - September 9 Discloure - September 16
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VOLUNTEERISM
WHAT SKILLS & TALENTS DO YOU HAVE?
Many people want to be a part of the movement to create a world free of MS but don’t know what they can do or how they can help. Each one of us has a special gift that we might not recognize could make a difference in the lives of people living with MS. Are you an organizer? You could be a great asset to planning events like Bike MS, Walk MS and our retreats. Do you like to take charge? Sign up to manage a rest stop, help lead logistics efforts for events or plan your own DIY fundraising event. Are you the life of the party? You’d be an asset in planning and executing finish line activities, kickoff & wrap-up events and team rallies. Have you never met a stranger? You’d be a great team or volunteer recruiter or MS Ambassador or MS. Are you a social butterfly or a successful business leader in your community? You could open doors to potential sponsors and teams, solicit in-kind donations and help us gain access to local media. Do you have serious camera skills? We need photographers and videographers to record all the great moments of all our events and programs. Whatever your talent or skill, we can put your passion for the Society’s mission to good work! Contact Carrie at carrie.dahlquist@nmss.org or 434-465-6042 for more information.
THE MS CONNECTION IS A PUBLICATION OF THE NATIONAL MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS SOCIETY, BLUE RIDGE CHAPTER Board Chairman • Brian Mason Governance Vice Chair • Ron Tweel Treasurer • Meg Haymans
East Region EVP• Craig Robertson Secretary • Ron Mittelman Editor • Carrie Dahlquist
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
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Blue Ridge Chapter 1020 Carrington Place Charlottesville, VA 22901 Change Service Requested
UPCOMING EVENTS - WATCH FOR UPDATES! *Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week* March 3-9, 2014
*Walk MS: 2014* Visit www.walkMSblueridge.org to register for an event close to you!
*Bike MS: Tour De Vine 2014* Saturday & Sunday, June 14 - 15 • Pollak Vineyards
*Bike MS: Country Roads Ride 2014*
Date to be Announced • The Greenbrier Resort to Snowshoe 800-344-4867 • www.nationalMSsociety.org/vab • vab@nmss.org
Every Connection Counts at MSconnection.org