Winter 2013 MS Connection by Laurie Palmer

GEORGIA CHAPTER

MOVING TOWARD A WORLD FREE OF MS | VOLUME 5â&#x20AC;˘ EDITION 2

2012 Annual Meeting, Research Dinner & Volunteer Celebration- Thursday, January 31 See Page 6

In this Issue:

Working and Living with MS Page 4

NOW Campaign Page 10

Employment Series Page 8

1-800-344-4867 Publication of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society Georgia Chapter • 1117 Perimeter Center West, Ste. E101 • Atlanta, GA 30338 Chairman • William J. Holley II Secretary • Diane Flannery Treasurer • Keith Keller Chapter President • Roy A. Rangel Connections Editor • Jared Miley 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 Sclerosis Society assumes no liability for the use of contents of any product or service mentioned. 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.

Are you looking for a Self 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, GA Chapter has great programs available to you where you can find support and experience-based tips on how to live a productive and happy life with MS. Self Help Groups meet regularly for educational 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 individual effort with the support of others. Peer Supporters are trained individuals living with MS, or are a family member of someone living with MS. Via the telephone, our Peer Supporters offer information, companionship, emotional support and encouragement to peers living with MS. There is no cost to participate in a Self-Help Group or Peer Support Program.

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.

To request services or if you are interested in starting a Self-Help Group or becoming a Peer Supporter, call the Georgia Chapter Office at 1-800-344-4867 or e-mail Stephanie at stephanie.shapiro@nmss.org

See complete listing of Self Help Groups in Georgia on Page 21

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VOLUNTEER

WAYS TO GIVE

VOLUNTEERING: THE EXPERIENCE OF A LIFETIME BY HELEN MARIE RUSSON

Since my diagnosis with MS in 1997, the Society has been my rock — providing me with information and community resources. It only makes sense that I would want to give something back. In doing so, I have gained at least as much as I have (hopefully!) given. One way I’ve volunteered is by participating in community projects such as giving people rides to their doctors or teaching someone how to use a computer. Joining my chapter’s Talk MS Speakers Bureau was another excellent way to volunteer. In speaking to various groups, I’ve helped to educate the public about what MS is — and is not. When I feel less energetic, I contribute in more sedentary ways. My chapter can always use someone to stuff envelopes, put in a shift at the front desk, or help with updating volunteer lists. And it goes without saying that the “office atmosphere” is far from traditional! • Helen Marie Russon is a volunteer at the Oregon chapter.

WE NEED YOU TO VOLUNTEER Volunteering for the Society can be the experience of a lifetime — and we need your experience. More than 500,000 volunteer positions keep the Society running. Visit our Volunteer page to register and let us know your interests, skills and availability. Or call 1-800-344-4867 to speak to a volunteer coordinator. Here is a sampling of ways to volunteer. • Service Project Volunteer Team: Help organize projects such as painting, minor repairs and yard work to help people living with MS in your area. • Talk MS Speakers Bureau or MS Ambassadors: Raise awareness about MS and the Society. Represent the chapter at health fairs. Make presentations to community groups. Seek out opportunities to speak. Call us! • Office Projects and Front Desk Volunteers: Help with mailings, data entry and other office tasks. Assist people when they visit our office. • Fundraising Events: Walk MS and Bike MS events run on volunteer muscle and expertise to deliver supplies, prepare and serve food to hungry participants, or cheer people on at the finish line. Call us today to take part!

TOLL FREE NUMBER 1 800 344 4867

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NEWLY DIAGNOSED

IS IT HARDER TO WORK WITH MS?

MEMORY ISSUES MAY IMPACT EMPLOYMENT

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. 4

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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: • People with higher levels of fatigue and disability all decreased their working hours within 12 months following diagnosis. • Lower long-term memory scores correlated

NEWLY DIAGNOSED

with a lower number of hours and days spent working during the week. • People who scored lower on “focused attention” and “speed of memory” were more likely to say they “wished to work less.” • 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 BALANCE What 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. • Diagnosed with MS in 2003, Julie Stachowiak, PhD, is the author of The Multiple Sclerosis Manifesto and www.ms.about. com. Originally posted at blog.nationalMSsociety.org

TOOLS TO WORK If 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 employment 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.

TOLL FREE NUMBER 1 800 344 4867

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LIVING WITH MS

ADAPTIVE HUNTING

DON CHRISTENSEN CAN BE FOUND AT HIS DEER STAND ALMOST EVERY NIGHT FROM SEPTEMBER TO JANUARY.

Don Christensen has shot six deer in the past six years — using his mouth. The 47-year-old married father of two has hunted since he was seven. Christensen also has progressive-relapsing multiple sclerosis and is quadriplegic. He now uses a sip-and-puff trigger system to fire his rifle and crossbow. Christensen offers adaptive hunting tips at afarcry.info, which he founded to help people with disabilities access the outdoors. The idea came from a comment a friend made when Christensen’s MS had progressed to the point that he had to give up a teaching job he loved, go on disability and face the very real possibility that he would never hunt again. “My friend said, ‘You can’t do things the way you used to, but what you can do is a far cry from sitting on the couch watching hunting shows and wishing,’” Christensen recalls.

“YOU CAN’T DO THINGS THE WAY YOU USED TO, BUT WHAT YOU CAN DO IS A FAR CRY FROM SITTING ON THE COUCH WATCHING HUNTING SHOWS AND WISHING.” 6

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DARN SURE TRYING On his 20-acre property in Webster, Wis., most of the trails are wheelchair accessible. “My wife LeAnn gets me out to my deer stand and I hang out there every night during archery season,” he said. “I just love it. Once in a while I have to get serious and shoot a deer, but usually I just watch them.” LeAnn plays a big role, from researching and posting information for afarcry.info to sewing Velcro onto a shooting pad that helps keep the stock of Christensen’s rifle in place on his shoulder. His two children have also picked up their father’s enthusiasm for the outdoors. Beth, 24, “is the shooter” who prefers deer hunting, while son Riley, 20, “loves fishing most of all.” Christensen’s goal this year is to shoot a deer using his hand instead of his mouth, and he’s been working on strengthening every muscle from his fingers to lower back to do it. “I don’t know if it’s achievable, but I’m for darn sure going to try.”

LIVING WITH MS

A SPECTRUM OF STRATEGIES In contrast to Christensen, Russell Frye Jr. doesn’t have visible symptoms or mobility issues, but the Janesville, Wis., resident admits he had to work hard to regain his ability to shoot a bow back in the summer of 2004, after an exacerbation led to him being diagnosed with relapsing-remitting MS. “I told my occupational therapist, ‘I love to bow hunt and that’s what I want to get back to doing,’” he recalls. The therapist worked with Frye so that he could shoot a deer by September that same year — just hours before his wedding. In the years since, Frye has become a bit more strategic in planning his hunts. “Sometimes I wake up in the morning and don’t feel right, so

ADAPTIVE HUNTING TIPS Drawn from his years of experience, Don Christensen offers the following tips for hunters with MS. • Get there early: Wheelchairs can be noisy when entering the woods. Allow time for everything to quiet down again. “You should be in your stand at least a half-hour earlier than everyone else,” Christensen says. • Wait for the animals: Whereas an ablebodied hunter can relocate to another spot if the hunting isn’t good, hunters with mobility issues can’t move as easily.

I don’t hunt,” he explains.He also arranges his treatment injections to accommodate his hunting schedule, and makes sure he has someone hunting with him. If not, he’s tells people where he will be and what time he plans to be home in case an exacerbation occurs or he has a cognitive issue. All those steps are minor compared to the enjoyment he receives from hunting. “It’s not so much about having a trophy or taking the animal,” he said. “It’s really about the camaraderie of the sport.”• This article was provided by the Society’s Wisconsin Chapter.

Instead, be creative in changing up the same spot. Swap out decoys or use different calling techniques, for example. • Let some go: Those with mobility issues often are limited in their ability to reposition themselves when trying to find a clear shot. Some adaptive equipment is available to help with this, but in many cases, they’ll need to set aside the crosshairs and go to observation mode instead. As with any new physical activity, consult your healthcare provider beforehand. States have different regulations regarding hunting and hunting licenses; make sure to find out what your state specifically requires. TOLL FREE NUMBER 1 800 344 4867

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ANNUAL MEETING

Please join the National MS Society, Georgia Chapter for a dinner celebration to learn about cutting edge research in MS and honor the outstanding community members, volunteers, and leaders who are doing something about MS now. To register for this program please call 800-344-4867, Option 2 or visit our website www.nationalmssociety.org/gaa

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ANNUAL MEETING

VOLUNTEER HALL OF FAME 2012

Join us in honoring this year’s inductees into the Volunteer Hall of Fame at the ANNUAL MEETING & RESEARCH DINNER Thursday, January 31, 2013 ~ 6:30pm-8:00pm

VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR– SELF HELP GROUP LEADER Virginia J. Young Morrison, EDD Savannah "PRYME" Self-Help Group

VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR– SERVICE PROVIDER Jacqueline Wilks The Center for Financial Independence and Innovation

VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR– CHAPTER PROGRAMS Pamela Hart

VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR– MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL Multiple Sclerosis Center of Augusta

VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR– FUNDRAISER Jeanne Slagel

VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR 2012 Denise Hulsey Bike MS Event Committee

TOLL FREE NUMBER 1 800 344 4867

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RESEARCH

PARTNERING ON PROGRESSIVE MS BY MARCELLA DURAND

Treatments for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis have moved forward, but treatments for progressive MS have remained maddeningly elusive. A newly formed International Progressive MS Collaborative intends to find out why. A far-ranging collaboration between the National MS Societies of the U.S., Canada, Italy, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, and the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation, its mission is to speed the development of effective therapies for progressive forms of MS. “Overcoming the challenges of progressive MS is a key objective of the Society’s Strategic Response to MS,” says Timothy Coetzee, PhD, chief research officer of the Society. “This is just one of the ways we’re collaborating worldwide to speed clinical trials in progressive MS.” The collaborative’s first step was to publish an opinion paper in Multiple Sclerosis Journal that outlined the challenges in developing therapies for progressive MS. It identified five key research priorities, as follows:

01 Experimental models of MS. Animal models

that more closely reflect the symptoms and underlying tissue damage of progressive MS are urgently needed.

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02 Identification and validation of targets and repurposing opportunities. Advances in MS genetics and the systematic re-evaluation of drugs approved for other indications may help identify new therapeutic targets in progressive MS.

03 Proof-of-concept clinical trial strategies. Lesion activity on MRI is an accepted biomarker in clinical trials for relapsing-remitting MS, but no comparable measure has been identified for progressive MS — yet.

04 Clinical outcome measures. Establishing clearer outcome measures for progressive MS will help evaluate possible therapies.

05 Symptom management therapies and rehabilitation strategies. Developing symptom management therapies and rehabilitation strategies in progressive MS may be advanced by targeted research and assessing potential treatments in rigorous, well-designed trials. The collaborative has convened five working groups to discuss these challenges and opportunities and to make research recommendations in each of the key areas. “Tackling these issues will require an integrated, multidisciplinary approach to enable effective translation of research into therapies,” wrote the authors of the paper. [To read the paper in full, go to tinyurl.com/bdjv5ak.] The collaborative will host an international conference in 2013 to plan how to continue moving research forward. Visit www.national MSsociety.org/progressiveMS for more information on progressive MS, or sign up for MS eNEWS at www.nationalMSsociety.org/signup for the latest on the collaborative’s progress. •

BIKE MS

RIDE AGAIN IN 2013 BIKE MS: COX ATLANTA RIDE SEPTEMBER 14-15, 2013 » 2 DAYS » MULTIPLE ROUTES REGISTER TODAY » BIKEMS.ORG OR 800.344.4867

Enjoy a 2 day cycling adventure with 1,300 of your closest friends. Choose your challenge, with route options for all cycling abilities ranging from 30-160 miles. Enjoy varying terrain as you travel through the quaint towns and beautiful country roads of Georgia. Bike MS will take you further than you’ve ever gone before. It’s not the miles that matter — it’s the unforgettable journey. Join us for an event that’s more than a ride — it’s anticipation, camaraderie, personal accomplishment, and the knowledge that you’re changing lives… making every mile that much sweeter.

TOLL FREE NUMBER 1 800 344 4867

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MS StoPS PEoPlE FroM MovIng. WE ExISt to MAkE SurE It doESn’t. think for a moment about the seemingly inconsequential activities and everyday acts of life that most of us may take for granted. Maybe it’s putting on your socks or browsing the aisles of the grocery store. Perhaps it’s entertaining friends or going for a weekend bike ride. now imagine your life without them.

Alexis, diagnosed in 2009

As we each affirm our commitment to everyone living with MS, we must first acknowledge how all the little things are bigger deals than most of us could ever imagine. Every day, every movement, and every moment matter. this is why our enduring commitment will not stop until MS is nothing but a distant memory. MS is a complex disease and standing up to it is not an easy task. But together, we can get the job done.

“What about my kids?” Carole, diagnosed in 2005

“I don’t know if I’ll be able to continue working.”

Aaron, diagnosed in 1995

Rick, diagnosed in 1991

“I don’t know what tomorrow holds.” Tiffany, diagnosed in 2004

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TOLL FREE NUMBER 1 800 344 4867

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ADVOCACY

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ProvEn trACk rECord

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now is the time to free the world of MS once and for all. through our comprehensive approach to research and treatment development, we are able to support and propel the most encouraging therapies from their start in lab research, all the way through clinical trials. We will accomplish this through both “targeted research,” where only a single topic is funded, and by ensuring support for areas with greatest overall potential. By applying resources to the entire research continuum, we are a driving force in the speedy development and delivery of new, effective treatments to people with MS.

our commitment to facilitate education, sharing, and learning around MS is one of the most important aspects of our mission at the Society. We recruit the brightest minds and award fellowships and grants to gain involvement and career dedication. We also work tirelessly to foster vital relationships among scholars, scientists, corporations, industries, and ourselves. From here, we can bring people, ideas, and resources together to form new paths for exploration and concrete solutions.

When it’s time to determine where donations can make the biggest impact for those living with MS, we gather together a distinguished and diverse group of experts from around the world to identify the gaps in our understanding of the disease. We rigorously examine all the possibilities—from research that may lead to breakthroughs in myelin repair to new diagnostic technologies and rehabilitation therapies—and then allocate funds to the projects that hold the most promise. So, when you support the Society, you can always be sure your generous donation is going to have the impact it should—changing lives now.

TOLL FREE NUMBER 1 800 344 4867

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you CAn Count on uS. there is still much to be done to remove MS from the equation, but we’ve already seen some immense successes thus far. generous funding, extensive collaboration and our commitment to research speak for themselves when it comes to results.

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TOLL FREE NUMBER 1 800 344 4867

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PROGRAMS

Wednesday, January 16, 7–8 pm Should I Work from Home or Start My Own Business? Trying to decide if working from home or starting your own business is for you? Experts in each of these areas will talk about what it takes to be a successful home based employee or entrepreneur. Wednesday, January 30, 7-8 pm Is it Time? Deciding to Change Careers or Stop Working Is working, or working in your field no longer an option? How do you know when it’s time to stop or make a change? Learn from a vocational professional what to consider when having to make this important decision. Wednesday February 13, 7-8pm Deciding How to Plan Your Job Search? Employers Share How They Find Employees Hear from a panel of employers on what they really look for in a job candidate, where they find candidates and how they fill openings. Wednesday, February 27, 7–8 pm Should I Work? Work from Home Options for those on Social Security Disability. Are you on Social Security and want to work? Do you need to or prefer to work from home? Learn how working might impact your disability benefits and hear about work from home opportunities for people on social security. Wednesday, March 13, 7-8 pm The Impact of Health Insurance on Career Decisions Health insurance considerations can impact your decision to change jobs or leave the workforce. Learn about legal protections and questions to ask to ensure you have the coverage you need. Wednesday, March 27, 7-8pm How to Talk About MS to Your Employer Once you decide to disclose there are still many unanswered questions. Hear from employers and disability advocates on how to talk with your employer about your MS. Register today by calling 1-800-344-4867 or visiting www.nationalMSsociety.org/gaa 18

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PROGRAMS

2013 Teleconference Schedule Mark Your Calendar April 9, 2013, 7:30-8:30pm Managing the Symptoms of MS To help you understand what MS is, the types of symptoms it can cause, and ways it can effect your quality of life. Having some basic facts will help you feel better prepared to deal with your MS. July 9, 2013, 7:30-8:30pm Riding the MS Emotional Roller-Coaster A look at MS and its common emotional changes including: depression, irritability, anger, and anxiety. We will discuss the different strategies available for managing the impact of the "MS emotional roller-coaster". September 10, 2013, 7:30-8:30pm Research: "Where are We Now, Where are We Going?" Find out what is happening in MS research, and what is on the horizon. You will learn about new treatments now available and how to connect with clinical trials.

The topics you want. The convenience you need. Learn about MS NOW. Register Today by calling 1-800-344-4867 or visiting www.nationalMSsociety.org/gaa

TOLL FREE NUMBER 1 800 344 4867

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WALK MS

Team Wash Out MS, Atlanta

Register TO WALK or volunteer today: walkMS.org or 1.800.344.4867 March 16 Albany Albany Municipal Auditorium Augusta Lake Olmstead Rome Berry College March 23 Athens Oconee Veterans Park Columbus Golden Park

April 13 Atlanta Piedmont Park April 20 Marietta Marietta Square Savannah Daffin Park April 27 Macon GEICO Corporate Campus

If you have any questions regarding Walk MS, please contact Laurie Palmer, Walk MS Development Manager, laurie.palmer@nmss.org. 20

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SELF-HELP GROUPS

Metro Atlanta Based Self-Help Groups: African Americans with MS Self-Help Group Contact: JoAnn: (404)-932-2662 Location: Berean Seventh Day Adventist Church 291 H.E. Holmes Drive Atlanta, GA Time: 3-5pm, 2nd Saturday of every month Atlanta Women's Self-Help Group Contact: Kristin (404)-351-0205 {ext. 110} Location: MS Center of Atlanta 3200 Downwood Circle Suite 550 Atlanta, GA Time: 6:30-8pm, 4th Tuesday of every month (No meetings in November and December) Decatur Self-Help Group Contact: O.J. (770)-256-2516 Location: Green Forest Community Baptist Church 23250 Rainbow Rd Decatur, GA 30030 Time: 10am-12pm, 2nd Saturday of every month Lawrenceville Women's Self-Help Group Contact: Karen (678)-975-7167 Location: McKendree Methodist Church 1570 Lawrenceville-Suwanee Rd Lawrenceville, GA 30043 Time: 10:30am-12pm, 2nd Saturday of every month MS Institute at Shepherd Self-Help Group: “S.H.E.P.S” Contact: Kate (404)-402-0368 Location: MS Institute at Shepherd 2020 Peachtree Road Atlanta, GA Time: 10am-12pm, 2nd Saturday of every month

Perimeter – Atlanta: “Dine and Discuss” Partners and Spouses Info and Share Group Contact: Jan (404)-579-6782 Location: La Madeleine-Perimeter 1165 Perimeter Center West Atlanta, GA Time: 7-8:30pm, 2nd Thursday of every month Snellville Self-Help Group Contact: Vicki (770)-978-1517 Location: Emory Eastside Medical Center 1700 Medical Way SW Snellville, GA Time: 10am-12pm, 4th Saturday of every month

Outside Metro Atlanta Based Self-Help Groups: Albany Self-Help Group Contact: Janet (229)-435-2517 Location: Phoebe Putney NW Conference Center 2336 Dawson Road Albany, GA Time: 6-8pm, 1st Monday of every month Albany -African American Self-Help Group Contact: Colette (229)-395-4150 Location: Chosen to Conquer, Inc. 1120 W. Broad Avenue Suite C-1 Albany, GA 31707 Time: 12-2pm, 2nd Saturday of every month Athens MS Family Contact: (706)-353-0606 Location: Athens Neurological Associates 1086A Baxter Street Athens, GA Time: 6-7pm. 3rd Thursday of every other month (Jan, Mar, May, July, Sept and Nov) Augusta MS Self-Help Group Contact: Erin (706)-721-1411 Location: Georgia Health Sciences- MS Center 6th Floor 1120 15th Street Augusta, GA Time: 6-7:30pm, Last Monday of every month

PLEASE NOTE: Our Self Help Group leaders are volunteers who have been trained by the National MS Society. 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. TOLL FREE NUMBER 1 800 344 4867

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SELF-HELP GROUPS

Cartersville –“Bartow County Self-Help Group” Contact: Towanda (770)-687-1663 Location: BBQ Street 650 Henderson Dr. Cartersville, GA Time: 6:30-8:30pm, 4th Thursday of every month

Newton County Self-Help Group Contact: Jean (678)-346-0740 OR (724)822-8507 Location: Newton General Hospital Auditorium Covington, GA Time: 7-8:30pm. 2nd Tuesday of every month (September through May)

Camilla Self-Help Group –“Mitchell County MS Self-Help Group” Contact: Lucas (229)-224-5979 Location: Mitchell County Hospital-Community Room 90E Stephens Street Camilla, GA Time: 6-7pm, 2nd Tuesday of every month

Peachtree City: “Let's Lunch: MS Group for Working Professionals” Contact: Lynn (612)-655-9901 or lynn.meloche@gmail.com Location: Atlanta Bread Company Peachtree City, GA 30269 Time: 11am-1pm, one Saturday per month (Please call Lynn for specific dates)

Columbus “Chattahoochee Valley Self-Help Group” Contact: Lori (706) 575-6925 lorikiker@yahoo.com Location: Columbus Public Library Time: This group’s schedule changes monthly. Please call Lori for updated times and days. Cumming Self-Help Group Contact: Tony Franklin (678)-455-4139 Location: Northside Forsyth Hospital 1400 Doctors' Bldg. Cumming, GA Time: 10am-12pm, 1st Saturday of every month Douglasville Self-Help Group Contact: Stephanie (770)-577-0408 Location: First Presbyterian Church Parlor Room Douglasville, GA Time: 7-8:30pm, 3rd Thursday of every month Macon Self-Help Group - "Hope Floats SelfHelp Group" Contact: Marty (478)-742-9011 Location: Pine Gate 300 Charter Blvd Macon, GA Time: 6-8pm, Last Monday of every month

Thomaston Self-Help Group-“T.A.M.S. SelfHelp Group” Contact: Sherry (706)-472-3273 OR (706)975-9762 Location: American Pie Pizzeria of Thomaston 710 N. Church Street Thomaston, GA Time: 12:30-2pm, 3rd Thursday of every month Thomasville MS Self-Help Group Contact: Mike (229)-346-9746 Location: Plaza Restaurant-Thomasville, GA Time: 6-8pm, 3rd Tuesday of every month Valdosta MS Self-Help Group Contact: Barbara (229)- 247-7792 Location: Smith Northview Hospital 4810 North Valdosta Road Valdosta, GA Time: 6:30-8pm, 3rd Thursday of every month Vidalia Self-Help Group – “Looking Good Self-Help Group” Contact: Paula (912)-538-0142 or Tony (478)-279-9343 Location: Tree House 723 North Street West

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SELF-HELP GROUPS

Highway 292 Vidalia, GA Time: 7-9pm, 2nd Tuesday of every other month

Telephone Based Self-Help Group: Statesboro Supports Contact: Carolyn: (912)-531-0416 ***This is a telephone support group. Please contact Carolyn for additional information.

Waleska Self-Help Group Contact: Jennifer (352)-231-3351 Location: Cherokee Outdoor Family YMCA. G. Cecil Pruett Community Center Family YMCA The National MS Society is a secular organization, welcoming those of every faith, and those 151 Waleska St. Canton, GA 30114 Time: 6-7:30pm, 2nd Tuesday of every month that espouse none. ***Start Date to be decided*** Please contact the Self-Help Group leaders prior to attending a group meeting to assure that the Warner Robins Self-Help Group – meeting time, date, and location are accurate. “Middle GA Self-Help Group” Groups occasionally change their meeting schedContact: Michelle (478)-335-4675 Location: Houston Medical Center, LL, North ules to participate in other National MS Society Tower 1601 Watson Blvd. Warner Robins, GA events. Time: 6:30-8:30pm, 2nd Tuesday of every For more information on attending Self-Help month Groups or starting Self-Help Groups in your community, please call 1-800-344-4867 Woodstock MS Self-Help Group* Contact: Zaida (770)-485-4226 Location: St. Michael the Archangel Church. 490 Arnold Mill Rd. Woodstock, GA 30188 Time: 11am-1pm, 3rd Saturday of every month (No meetings in July and August) Connect with the *This group starts its meetings with prayer Georgia Chapter Online

Savannah, Georgia Based Self-Help Groups:

Pooler Self-Help Group –“Pooler’s Positive Movers and Shakers: MS Share & Support Group” Contact: Andraya: (912)-658-9629 or PoolersPositiveMS@gmail.com Location: TBD Time: Please contact Andraya for additional information. Savannah Self-Help Group –“PRYME” Contact: Virginia (912)-355-5832 or vmorriso@bellsouth.net Location: St. Joseph Hospital. Time: 6pm, 2nd Tuesday of every month (Please call Virginia to confirm location and meeting dates)

www.nationalMSsociety.org/gaa facebook.com/nmssga @MSsocietyGA flickr.com/MSsocietyGA

TOLL FREE NUMBER 1 800 344 4867

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NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID City, ST Permit # (No.)

Georgia Chapter 1117 Perimeter Center West, Suite E101 Atlanta, GA 30338

PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT

NATIONAL MS AWARENESS WEEK March 11-15, 2013

MS Awareness Week is a time for people affected by MS to connect with others, share knowledge, and take action to increase awareness about the disease.

I have a faMIly MeMber wIth MS

I aM a healthcare profeSSIonal

I have MS I have a coworker wIth MS

we are all

connected I aM a carepartner

I have another connectIon

I aM a SponSor

I have a frIend wIth MS

Your voice and the connections you create will make the movement even more powerful. More information coming soon at www.nationalMSsociety.org/gaa.