2004-05 Spring: Issue #2
Transcription
2004-05 Spring: Issue #2
Spring 2004-05 President’s Message p. 2 Research p. 3-4 Health Care Professional p. 5 Number 2 Managing Multiple Sclerosis p. 6-9 Advocacy p. 20 Special Events pp. 34-35, 37-39 Central Pennsylvania Chapter Message of Love and Hope I Page 19 Page 22 Page 32 Page 37 magine being 12 years old, your mom diagnosed with a chronic illness and you noticed a letter from the National MS Society requesting donations to help in the efforts of research that is going on nationally and to help end the devastating effects of multiple sclerosis. Most children would not even have noticed the letter, but Marcy Herr is not like most children. Marcy Herr, a seventh grader at Manor Middle School in Lancaster County, is someone who wanted to make a difference and become an active participant in the important call for help. Marcy wanted to participate in these very worthy fund raising efforts however, Marcy stated, “I didn’t have a job, so I didn’t have any money to give.” That is when Marcy got the idea to give fundraising a try. She secretly went into her mother’s address book and proceeded to write a letter to their closest relatives and friends asking for prayers and to help with her surprise, by making a loving donation to the National MS Society in honor of her mom. In the letter, she described how MS affects her mother, Lydia. She also stated in her letter that the money she raised would go towards new drugs; research for a cure, and to promote awareness. She encouraged “MARCY HERR, their friends to go to a web site a 12 year old, for more inforis someone mation about who multiple sclerosis. wanted to The letter make a touched so many difference.” hearts. Marcy collected over $900 in donations and presented her surprise to her tearful mom at Christmas. Our thanks to Marcy and her family for allowing us to share with our readers how MS is seen through the eyes of a child. Here is a quote from Marcy that she shared with us about her mom and her family. (continued on page 23) SPRING 2004-05 MS Connection (717) 652-2108 / (800) 227-2108 Chairman Anthony J. Schiano CHAPTER PRESIDENT Message from the Chapter President T Vice Chairmen Ronald J. Drnevich Brian Kauffman Todd J. Shill Thomas J. Sposito, II hough having multiple sclerosis Margie Adelmann can significantly change an individual’s life, it also unites people with MS and all of their loved ones in an extended family in A CIRCLE OF HOPE, joining together to end the devastating effects of MS. We have numerous Partners in Hope in Central Pennsylvania. Past Chair John M. Hubley Secretary Walter F. Froh Treasurer John Laudeman Chapter President Margie Adelmann Newsletter Editor Debbie Rios 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. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society is dedicated to ending the devastating effects of MS. © 2004 National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Central Pennsylvania Chapter Our partners are our VOICES OF HOPE, keeping hope alive. They are MS clinicians and investigators who serve as volunteers to guide the Society’s research funding and medical information. They are health-care professionals who staff MS clinics or practice in communities and volunteer on our many professional committees. They are teenagers who pitch in at fund-raising events. They are people with MS who serve as self-help group facilitators, friendly visitors, fundraisers, public policy advocates, and more. The Society has corporate sponsors, major donors, and grassroots contributors. Thanks to them, we are here to provide support when someone receives a diagnosis of MS. A diagnosis of MS can affect the entire family’s life. In this issue of our newsletter you will learn about some of the family programs we offer. FAMILIES FIND HOPE by attending programs together or participating together in our special events, like our MS Walk. You can read about one of our special families profiled in this issue. And you can nominate a special person to be recognized (continued on page 23) 2 Toll-Free Number: 1 800 FIGHT MS RESEARCH Research Advocate Corner B iogen Idec Suspends Marketing of Tysabri - The National Multiple Sclerosis Society was distressed to learn of the unfortunate adverse events that have occurred in two patients treated with Tysabri in combination with Avonex in clinical trials. Our deepest sympathies go out to both families. We commend the quick action Biogen Idec and Elan Corporation have taken in voluntarily suspending use of Tysabri while they investigate the possible link between Tysabri and PML (progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy), a rare but frequently fatal viral disease of the brain. It will be disappointing if the investigation suggests that Tysabri cannot be safely returned to the market as a therapy for multiple sclerosis. There are five other approved disease-modifying therapies available for the treatment of MS. We are reaching out through all avenues to advise Society membership as new information becomes available. For the FDA statement on this matter, please visit: http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/advisory/na talizumab.htm Another study published in December, 2004 compared the nursing home experiences of African Americans and nonHispanic whites with MS. The researcher found that African Americans did not receive higher levels of the various therapies offered in nursing homes even though they were more physically and cognitively disabled than whites. The researchers noted that the differences may be due to many variables, such as a more severe MS course, the presence of other illnesses (e.g., high blood pressure), an earli- er age of onset and payment source. More research is needed to fully study the racial differences in multiple sclerosis. Sandra (Sandy) O’Sullivan, RN, MS In a paper in the British Medical Journal, researchers reported on a study investigating the possible relationship between the month of birth and the risk of developing multiple sclerosis. The findings were that more individuals with MS were born in May and slightly fewer than expected were born in November. Researchers agree that people who have genes that make them susceptible to MS encounter something in their environment that acts as a “trigger” for the onset of the disease. However, the slight link between the birth month and the development of MS does not give any direct clues as to the factors that might be involved in the development of MS. Studies of antioxidants to help prevent or control MS are underway. The health benefits of these agents (prevent cancer, heart disease, cataracts, etc) are known, but could they also work in preventing or stopping MS is the question under study. Since vitamins A, C, and E are the antioxidants in wide use by the public this is an important study. Antioxidants are known to stimulate the immune system and since MS is a disease with an overactive immune system, it is widely accepted that over-stimulation of the immune system may be dangerous and should be avoided. Much more study needs to be done before (continued) Visit our Website at: www.nationalmssociety.org/pac 3 SPRING2004-05 RESEARCH (continued) such agents can be considered safe and effective treatments for people with MS. The time when women with MS were discouraged from having children because it might make their MS worse is long gone, and pregnancy is no longer discouraged. Pregnancy has now been found to be beneficial or non-threatening in most women with MS. Research into the possible benefits of pregnancy on the woman with MS are still on-going. Three studies were reported at the 2004 Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in MS. These studies found that medications being used to reduce MS relapses or progression were safe to use during and after pregnancy, that hormone fluctuations may be part of the increase in relapses post delivery and that the administration of immunoglobulin antibodies after delivery may reduce the relapses after delivery. As the population ages, so do persons with MS. As a result a new study is beginning in Canada and the United Kingdom testing a possible treatment for secondaryprogressive multiple sclerosis. A larger MS Society funded study is exploring the impact of aging on persons with MS and identifying their health and quality of life needs to develop strategies for improving life for older persons with MS. A clue has been found to the question of why women develop MS more often than men. Men have the gene variant that causes high levels of interferon gamma less often than women. The research found that if a gene is present that produces high 4 levels of interferon gamma, (i.e., in most women) it may predispose you to developing MS. In an Australian study reported in the January, 2005 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, it is suggested that the longer people (in the first six years of life) were cumulatively exposed to any siblings younger than two years, the more reduced their risk of developing MS. More study is needed to investigate whether early exposure to infectious agents is “protective” against the development of MS. There is new progress in understanding myelin repair. Myelin is the substance that insulates nerve fibers and is a major target of the immune attack that occurs in MS. Myelin repair would help to alleviate the nerve damage from MS and would be a major development in the treatment of MS. More information on the findings will be forthcoming as they are published. The National MS Society has given funding to new research in February. Geneinstruction of immune messenger proteins, immune cells that inhibit MS-like disease in rodents and study of a rodent model that develops a severe, unusual form of MS-like disease in the brain and not the spinal cord were funded. Please continue to support the research into this disease. Toll-Free Number: 1 800 FIGHT MS ASK THE HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL Establishing an Effective Relationship with your Health Care Professional O ne of the most common complaints I encounter in my work with people confronted by illness – whether it’s MS or some other chronic illness – involves some sort of dissatisfaction with one or more of the health care professionals involved in their care. There are many reasons for this but often, after more fully exploring the issue with my client, I find that the problem involves relational difficulties and a fundamental difference in understanding between the patient and the health care professional. Expectations are not always the same and/or expectations may not be clearly communicated. Consequently both the patient and the health care professional may leave an encounter disappointed or unsatisfied. Several decades ago, the role of physician and patient was clear; the doctor was the all-knowing healer and the patient was the passive recipient of all the doctor had to offer. Consequently there was less room for misunderstanding. Nowadays few health care professionals and few patients accept this paternalistic form of health care as ideal. Today, most people would describe the ideal relationship between health care professional and patient as that of a team; professionals are the experts on MS in general, people with MS are the experts on their specific MS. Working closely together, each team designs the treatment package that best fits this particular person with MS. So what can you do to foster this kind of relationship with your health care professional? First, know your job: You are the expert on your life and your MS. Pay attention to yourself. Ask yourself questions about your: • Physical symptoms: Janneke van Beusekom, What are they? What aggraLCSW vates them and what Therapist at Life relieves them? Which Management symptoms are the most Associates in problematic for you? Lancaster Specializing in • MS medications: How are you tolerating your MS chronic illness medications? If you’re having problems with them, what do you want to do? Do you want to try another medication? Do you want to stop it altogether because the side-effects aren’t worth it? Or are you able to tolerate the sideeffects? • Family and MS: How is MS affecting you and your family? What’s the biggest problem? How could a health care professional help you with that specific issue? • Work and MS: The questions here are similar to those for family and MS. How is MS affecting your work? What’s the biggest problem? How could a health care professional help you with that? Answering these questions for yourself will have you prepared for your discussion with your physician or other health care professional. If you’ve done this kind of self-examination – for example, you’ve decided that fatigue is the physical symptom that’s the biggest problem right now, you’re having side-effects from your fatigue medication, fatigue is especially an issue on week-ends when the kids are (continued on page 31) Visit our Website at: www.nationalmssociety.org/pac 5 MANAGING MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS SPRING2004-05 Preventive Care: Are People With MS Getting It? T ooth decay, cancer, heart disease – people with multiple sclerosis can get them too. Are they taking measures to prevent these conditions? This was the question posed by William Frey, PhD, and colleagues (WESTAT, Rockville, MD) in conducting the “National Study of the Utilization of Health-Promoting and Preventing Measures (HPPM) in MS,” a Health Care Delivery and Policy Research project commissioned by the National MS Society. “HPPM is a national issue, but there are a number of issues specific to MS,” says Dr. Frey. “Physicians’ recommendations might be incompatible with what people can do. For example, women who use wheelchairs may not have access to a radiology facility to get mammograms. Some research suggests that people with MS may only see a neurologist, and not a general practitioner, so non-neurological health issues may be missed. We don’t know how extensive this is and how it impacts preventive care.” Frey and colleagues conducted interviews with 2,554 people from the Society’s membership list – a sample that reflected a range of geographic regions and rural vs. urban areas. By and large, individuals with MS reported utilization of HPPM at levels equal to or better than the general population. This finding suggests that, in most cases, people with MS and their health care providers are paying appropriate attention to non-MS health issues. • 19% of people with MS see only a neurologist for health care and do not have another primary care physician – a lower number than anticipated, says Frey. However, it is important to note that these individuals were less likely (than those who also had a primary care physician) to participate in preventive measures such as cholesterol checks, mammograms, pap tests, and prostate screening. • More than 98% of people with MS have a health care plan (health insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, or enrollment in a managed care organization). The few who did not were less likely to use HPPM. (Frey speculates that this may be because HMOs and similar plans require contact with a primary care physician.) • Women with MS were more likely than men to eat healthily, visit the dentist, and undergo colorectal cancer screening. • Although more than half of those with MS did not follow recommendations of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) regarding screening for colorectal cancer (i.e., screening every five years for people over the age of 40), they did so more often than the general population. People with MS exhibited lower levels of high-risk behaviors (binge drinking, multiple sex partners, HIV risk behavior, and cigarette smoking) than the general population. Frey points out that a “substantial portion” of the MS population (21.6%) indicated that they smoke, a percentage only slightly lower than the general population (22.5%); nearly half of these smok(continued) 6 Toll-Free Number: 1 800 FIGHT MS MANAGING MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS (continued) ers said that their physician had counseled them to quit smoking. “We also found that access to care for people with functional limitations is a tremendous issue,” says Frey. “Persons who use wheelchairs had a lower probability of getting preventive services such as a mammogram, getting weighed or visiting the dentist.” Overall, this study provides good news: people with MS engage in health care promotion or preventive measures as much as or more than the general population. An important goal for the future is to work toward filling gaps in preventive care through education and reform of health care practices. Preventive Care Recommendations for Adults with MS: The Basic Facts Medical Tests: Blood Pressure & Pulse Height & Weight (Technically not a test, but important to track) Hemoglobin, complete white blood cell count with differential, platelets and liver function test Urinalysis Chest X-Ray Electrocardiogram (EKG/ECG) Total skin exam Dental Cleaning and Examination Fasting Cholesterol (with HDL, LDL & triglycerides) Thyroid Vision/Glaucoma Recommendations: Yearly if normal. Yearly if normal. Assess for both under and over weight problems. Test at initiation of interferon therapy; repeat in one month, then every three months thereafter. Yearly and following the completion of treatment for a urinary tract infection, as per physician recommendation. Discuss with health-care provider. Discuss with health-care provider. Discuss with health-care provider. Sun avoidance and sunscreen use are recommended. Every 6 months. (Note: If daily tooth care becomes difficult, discuss with health-care provider and consider electric appliances.) Every 5 years starting at age 20. Consider for women age 40 and older and for anyone with symptoms of fatigue. Every 2-4 years for ages 40-65, then yearly. Visit our Website at: www.nationalmssociety.org/pac 7 M A N AG I N G M U LT I P L E S C L E R O S I S Medical Tests: Stool for Occult Blood Sigmoidoscopy/Colonoscopy Hearing Bone Density Test PPD (purified protein derivative) Fasting Blood Sugar Women Only Pap smear Clinical Breast Exam (by health care provider) Self Breast Exam Mammogram 8 SPRING2004-05 Recommendations: Yearly (three stool guaiac cards) starting at age 50. Every 5 years starting at age 50 for sigmoidoscopy or every 10 years for colonoscopy. Begin screening high-risk individuals earlier. Consult with physician about frequency. (Reference: America Cancer Society) Every 5 years over age 50. Once, for everyone with risk factors including prolonged use of steroids or anticonvulsants, a family history of osteoporosis, and a sedentary lifestyle. Retest periodically, especially women near onset of menopause. Every 1-2 years if at high risk for tuberculosis (including health-care workers, persons with HIV, persons living in areas where TB is prevalent). Every 5 years starting at age 20. More frequently than every 5 years for those with risk factors such as obesity or family history of Type II diabetes. At least every 1-3 years for women who are or have been sexually active and have a cervix. The American Cancer Society recommends initiation no later than age 21. Other organizations recommend age 18 because of the high prevalence of sexual activity. Yearly. Monthly. Every 1-2 years starting at age 40. (The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends every 1-2 years from age 40-49 and annually over 50 years. The American Cancer Society recommends annually starting at age 40.) If there is a family history of breast cancer, consult with a physician about appropriate beginning age. Toll-Free Number: 1 800 FIGHT MS MANAGING MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS Medical Tests: Men Only Prostate exam (digital rectal exam) PSA (prostate specific antigen) test Clinical Testicular Exam (by health care provider) Testicular Self Exam Recommendations: Yearly starting at age 50, except for AfricanAmericans or those who have a family history of prostate cancer, then start at age 40. Yearly starting at age 50, except for AfricanAmericans or those who have a family history of prostate cancer, then start at age 40. Yearly. Monthly. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends starting at age eighteen. MS Learn Online – Upcoming New Webcasts Participate Online Today! M S Learn Online programs premiere at 8:00 am Eastern Time on their corresponding dates. Pre-registration is not required. Programs and their written transcripts can be accessed at www.nationalmssociety.org/mslearnonline. Would you like to be notified of upcoming MS Learn Online programs? Please send your email address to MSLearnOnline@nmss.org, and you will receive an email notification the day the program is available for viewing. Medicare Series Premiere Date Title Introduction to Medicare February 17, 2005 Medicare and Prescription Drugs March 3, 2005 Home Therapy Services March 17, 2005 Addressing Your Concerns April 7, 2005 Ask the Expert Archived - available at the above site. The latest developments on the Tysabri suspension Toll-Free Number: 1 800 FIGHT MS Featured Speaker Judith Stein, Esq. Executive Director Center for Medicare Advocacy, Inc. Willimantic, CT John Richert, MD, Aaron Miller, MD and Al Sandrock, MD 9 SPRING2004-05 M A N AG I N G M U LT I P L E S C L E R O S I S Upcoming Programs MARCH 2005 Aquatics for Everyone - State College Date: The Spring Series will begin on Monday, March 14, 2005 with the last session on Friday, May 6, 2005. Time: The class sessions are Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10:00 am 10:50 am for a period of 8 weeks. If a session is missed, it may be made up at another class. Location: State College Area YMCA, 677 West Whitehall Rd., State College Questions: Call the Chapter Office at 717652-2108 or 1-800-227-2108 Exercise and You – Honesdale Date: Tuesdays (6 weeks) • March 29 • April 5, 12, 19, 26 • May 3 Time: 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm Location: Wayne Memorial Outpatient Rehab, 6 Maple Ave., Honesdale (in the Sturbridge Mall) Questions: Call the Chapter Office at 717652-2108 or 1-800-227-2108 Exercise and You – Scranton Date: Tuesdays and Thursdays (6 weeks) • March 29,31 • April 5, 7, 12, 14,19, 21, 26, 28 • May 3, 5 Time: 11:50 am - 12:50 pm 10 Location: Allied Rehab, Charles Lugar Outpatient Building, 475, Morgan Hwy, Scranton Questions: Call the Chapter Office at 717652-2108 or 1-800-227-2108 APRIL 2005 Exercise and You – Wilkes Barre Date: Tuesdays and Thursdays (6 weeks) • April 5, 7, 12, 14,19, 21, 26, and 28 • May 3, 5, 10 and 12 Time: 10:30 am - 11:30 am Location: John Heinz Institute of Rehab Medicine, 150 Mundy Street, Wilkes-Barre, PA. Classes will be conducted in the Pulmonary Center (across the street from Krasons Clothing Store) Questions: Call the Chapter Office at 717652-2108 or 1-800-227-2108 A Step Towards Independence Date: Wednesday, April 6, 2005 Time: 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm Location: Chambersburg Hospital, Lecture room A, Chambersburg Questions: Call the Chapter Office at 717652-2108 or 1-800-227-2108 Visit our Website at: www.nationalmssociety.org/pac MANAGING MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS Exercise and You - York Date: 1st and 3rd Wednesday of every month April 6, 20 May 4, 18 June 1, 15 July 6, 20, August 3, 17 September 7, 21 October 5, 19 November 2, 16 Time: 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm Location: HEALTHSOUTH Rehab Hospital of York, 1850 Normandie Drive, York Questions: Call the Chapter Office at 717652-2108 or 1-800-227-2108 Aquatics for Everyone - Williamsport Date: The Spring Series class will begin on Monday, April 11, 2005 with the last session on Friday, July 1, 2005. Time: The class sessions are: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 1:00 pm 2:00 pm for a period of 12 weeks. If a session is missed, it may be made up at another class. Location: Williamsport Area YMCA, 320 Elimira St. Williamsport, PA Questions: Call the Chapter Office at 717652-2108 or 1-800-227-2108 Walking A Straight Line To Balance Date: Wednesday, April 13, 2005 Time: 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm Location: HealthSouth Of Wormleysburg, 840 North Front Street, Wormleysburg (The center is in between “Your Place” restaurant and “The American Legion” in Wormleysburg) Questions: Call the Chapter Office at 717652-2108 or 1-800-227-2108 MS and Vision: What I Need To Know Date: Thursday, April 14, 2005 Time: 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm Location: Lancaster General Health Campus, 2100 Harrisburg Pike, Lancaster, 3rd Floor conference room (enter main entrance and take elevator to the 3rd floor) Questions: Call the Chapter Office at 717652-2108 or 1-800-227-2108 How To Make Life with MS Manageable Date: Saturday, April 23, 2005 Time: 9:30 am - 1:00 pm Location: Four Points by Sheraton Harrisburg, 800 East Park Drive, Harrisburg, PA Questions: Call the Chapter Office at 717652-2108 or 1-800-227-2108 Living and Learning Alongside MS Date: Saturday, April 23, 2005 Time: 9:00 am - 1:00 pm Location: Ramada Inn, 20 Public Square, Betsy Ross Room, Wilkes-Barre, PA Questions: Call the Chapter Office at 717652-2108 or 1-800-227-2108 The Changing Face of Multiple Sclerosis Date: Saturday, April 23, 2005 Time: 10:00 am - 11:30 am Location: Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hospital, Board Room, 32-36 Central Ave. Wellsboro, PA Questions: Call the Chapter Office at 717652-2108 or 1-800-227-2108 (continued) Visit our Website at: www.nationalmssociety.org/pac 11 M A N AG I N G M U LT I P L E S C L E R O S I S (continued) Light and Gentle Yoga Date: Thursday, April 28, 2005 Time: 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm Location: United Church of Christ, 5000 Devonshire Road, Harrisburg, PA Questions: Call the Chapter Office at 717652-2108 or 1-800-227-2108 Aquatics for Everyone – Lancaster Date: Fridays (8 weeks) • April 29 • May 6, 13, 20 and 27 • June 3, 10 and 17 Time: 11:00 am -12:00 noon Location: Lancaster Family YMCA, 572 North Queen Street, Lancaster Questions: Call the Chapter Office at 717652-2108 or 1-800-227-2108 MAY 2005 History: It’s A Blast - A Day At the Civil War Museum Date: Saturday, May 7, 2005 Time: 11:30 am - 3:30 pm Location: The National Civil War Museum, One Lincoln Circle at Reservoir Park, Harrisburg, PA Questions: Call the Chapter Office at 717652-2108 or 1-800-227-2108 12 SPRING2004-05 Tai Chi For Everyone – State College Date: Mondays (5 weeks) • May: 9, 16, 23 • June: 6, 13 Time: 6:15 pm - 7:15 pm Location: State College Area Family YMCA, 677 West Whitehall Rd., State College, PA Questions: Call the Chapter Office at 717652-2108 or 1-800-227-2108 A Way of Life Wellness Fair Date: Tuesday, May 10, 2005 Time: 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm Location: Evangelical Community Health Education Center, 7095 West Branch Highway (Staples Plaza), Lewisburg, PA Questions: Call the Chapter Office at 717652-2108 or 1-800-227-2108 Navigating the Maze of Social Security Date: Saturday, May 21, 2005 Time: 10:00 am 11:30 am Location: HealthSouth Nittany Valley Rehabilitation Center, 550 W. College Ave. Pleasant Gap, PA Questions: Call the Chapter Office at 717652-2108 or 1-800-227-2108 Visit our Website at: www.nationalmssociety.org/pac MANAGING MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS Everyday Living with Multiple Sclerosis Date: Tuesday, May 24, 2005 Time: 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm Location: St. John’s United Methodist Church, 2101 Newberry St. Williamsport, PA Questions: Call the Chapter Office at 717652-2108 or 1-800-227-2108 JUNE 2005 Reassuring Answers to Frequently Asked Questions About MS Teleconference Dates: Tuesdays: May 24, 2005 and June 7, 2005 Time: 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm Location: By telephone in the convenience of your home. Questions: Call the Chapter Office at 717652-2108 or 1-800-227-2108 A Night At The Ball Game Date: Friday, June 3, 2005 Time: 5:30 pm - Until End of Game Location: Clipper Magazine Stadium, Lancaster, PA Questions: Call the Chapter Office at 717652-2108 or 1-800-227-2108 A Day At Knoebels Amusement Park Date: Saturday, May 28, 2005 Time: 10:00 am - 8:00 pm Location: Knoebels Amusement Park, Rt. 487, Elysburg, PA Questions: Call the Chapter Office at 717652-2108 or 1-800-227-2108 Family Getaway “Western” Weekend Date: Friday, June 3, 2005 - Sunday, June 5, 2005 Location: Pocmont Resort, Bushkill, PA Questions: Call the Chapter Office at 717652-2108 or 1-800-227-2108 Path Back From An MS Attack Date: Saturday, June 4, 2005 Time: 10:00 am - 12:00 noon Location: Heritage Gills Golf Resort and Conference Center, York, PA Questions: Call the Chapter Office at 717652-2108 or 1-800-227-2108 Knocking Out Fatigue Teleconference Date: Tuesday, June 14, 2005 Time: 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm Location: By telephone in the convenience of your home. Questions: Call the Chapter Office at 717652-2108 or 1-800-227-2108 (continued on page 27) Toll-Free Number: 1 800 FIGHT MS 13 CHAPTER NEWS 14 SPRING2004-05 Residents of Country Meadows of Hershey selected the Society to be the beneficiary of gift shop proceeds and donated $400 this past fall to the chapter. Mary Full of Grace Society had a matching fund project and participated in “Friends Helping Friends” at Boscov’s in the Harrisburg Mall and donated $600 to the Society. Jack and Esther Fuller, Campaign Manager, accept an $1,800 check from Matt Harman and Bray Funk. These Shikellamy High School students assisted with the Staff’s Place MS Golf Tournament for their senior project. MS Leadership Class of 2004 Honorary Chair, Richard Lenny, Chairman, President and CEO of Hershey Foods Corporation (right) and MS Board Chair, Tony Schiano (left) pose with top fund raiser from the Harrisburg Class, Donald Papson, Vice President, Hershey Foods Corporation, who raised over $10,000 in the 2004 Class. Visit our Website at: www.nationalmssociety.org/pac CHAPTER NEWS I n honor of the 20th anniversary of the Central PA MS Bike Tour, we have custom designed a Voler cycling jersey. The jersey will be available in the following sizes: Men's and Women's XS-XXXL. The cost of the jersey is $50 and payment must be received with your order. Orders can be placed until June 1, 2005. To place your order, call Kerry at 1-800227-2108. Members of the Swim team at University of Scranton held their first Annual “Swim-a-Thon” to benefit the Society and raised $5,746.24. In two hours of swimming they swam a combined 249,000 yards, which is equivalent to 141.5 miles or the distance up and down Mt. Everest over 12 times! On June 13th, 13 residents of the Gettysburg area came together to fight MS by walking toward a cure. They gathered together to participate in a Walk that had been organized and carried out by Trisha Stouter, a senior at Fairfield High School. Trisha planned the Walk from top to bottom, contacting local businesses for donations, distributing flyers throughout the community and working to raise awareness for MS. She and her fellow walkers raised a total of $248! Many local businesses, including State Farm, Sunny Ray’s, Kenny’s Market and Giant gave donations of food, drinks and prizes for this event. Many thanks go out to Trisha and her fellow Walkers for their support! Toll-Free Number: 1 800 FIGHT MS 15 SPRING2004-05 CHAPTER NEWS Nominate A Loved One M S affects the whole family, and everyone impacted by the diagnosis makes accommodations and adaptations. There are many people with MS and their carepartners who deserve acknowledgement and recognition. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society has an annual tradition of honoring an outstanding “Parent of the Year” and “MS Carepartner of the Year.” The Chapter is now accepting nominations for the 2005 award. Please submit your letters of support, answering the questions listed below, by April 15, 2005. If you have any questions, please call Debbie at 717-652-2108 or 1-800-2272108. Parent of the Year 1. Pertinent Family Information: name, address and phone number of individual being nominated; marital status of nominee; and name and ages of children of nominee. 2. Describe activities that the candidate participates in with their children 3. Show from the family's perspective, why this person should be recognized as Parent of the Year. (These can be in the form of photos, pictures, letters or stories). 4. What is the most important characteristic of the person that makes them outstanding as a parent? 5. Include the name, address and phone number of the person submitting the nomination. 16 Carepartner of the Year 1. What is your relationship to the nominee? 2. How long has s/he acted as a caregiver? 3. Describe his/her responsibilities as a carepartner. 4. Please describe why you have decided to nominate this person; please share with us their story. These can be in the form of photos, pictures, letters or stories). 5. Include the name, address and phone number of the person submitting the nomination. Toll-Free Number: 1 800 FIGHT MS CHAPTER NEWS N E W S YO U C A N U S E New Resources for Families T TIMMY’S JOURNEY TO UNDERSTANDING MS Timmy’s Journey to Understanding MS is an animated cartoon that shares a little boy’s (Timmy) adventure learning about MS. David Lander is the voice of Captain S’myelin, who is Timmy’s guide on his journey. This 15-minute cartoon is an excellent resource to talk to children about MS. Call the chapter at 1-880-227-2108 or 717652-2108 to borrow this video or DVD. WEBSITES FOR CHILDREN AND TEENS The Manitoba Division of the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada has developed websites for children and teens with have a parent with MS, as well as a site for parents with MS. Not only do the sites have information on multiple sclerosis, they also have bulletin/message boards and chat rooms for registered users to participate in. The site for children ages 512 (Let’s Talk MS for Kids) is www.msforkids.com; the site for teens (Let’s Talk MS for Teens) is www.msforteens.com; and the site for the parents is www.msforparents.com. A staff member of the Manitoba Division monitors the message boards and the chat rooms. The staff person reviews all questions and responses on the message board before they are posted, so as to ensure the privacy, safety and confidentiality of the person writing. All questions and responses are posted within a 24-hour period. The division is currently in the process of organizing dates for upcoming chats. TEENS SPEAK OUT MAGAZINE You can view this exciting magazine online at: http://www.nationalmssociety.org/Teen%20InsideMS.asp or call the Chapter Office at 717-652-2108 or 1-800-227-2108 to review your copy. See what’s inside our newest issue: • Photographs: How to Capture • Nothing But Success • Is MS Different for a Teenager? • What You See • A Blessing in Disguise KEEP S’MEYLIN CHILDREN’S NEWSLETTER Keep S’myelin is a colorful newsletter filled with stories, interviews, games, and activities that highlight a variety of topics about multiple sclerosis. This award winning newsletter is available in an interactive online version (Flash), or original printed version (PDF). For free copies of printed issues call the Chapter Office at 717-652-2108 or 1-800-227-2108. Visit our Website at: www.nationalmssociety.org/pac 17 SPRING2004-05 CHAPTER NEWS Lending Library & Literature O ur in-house lending library and literature publications are an excellent resource for books, publications, how-to booklets, magazines, videos, audio tapes, and other information on a variety of subjects related to MS and those living with a disability. We offer several convenient ways for you to request library materials. You can either contact our office at 717-652-2108 or 1800-227-2108 to request our library list. Or, if you prefer, you may come into our Harrisburg office and browse through our library in person. Three items may be borrowed at a time for a period of two weeks with the option of a one-time two-week renewal. Materials are sent out via regular mail. For returning purposes, we include a pre-stamped return envelope. Our thanks to Berlex Laboratories for an unrestricted grant enabling us to purchase over 60 new books for our lending library. N E W S YO U C A N U S E C L A S S I F I E D S : FOR SALE: 1996 Silver Glide Stair Way Lift: Goes up approximately 15 steps. In excellent condition, asking $900. Have instructions and all paperwork. Call Dennis at 610-759-5477 FOR SALE: Permobile 2K Chairman Power Wheelchair Has the following: seat recline, seat tilt, leg rest raise, 8” seat elevator, Jay B 2102 Gel cushion and Battery Charger. Has never been used. Original cost: $27,000 Asking: $6,000 Call: Dennis at 717-299-3250 FOR SALE: REVO Mobility Scooter, Only used for 3 weeks. Paid $2049 and asking $1700 Please call John at 717-441-7324 FOR SALE: 1999 SEL Windstar Van. Spruce Green with hand controls, 62,000 miles. Garage kept, Asking $10,000. Call Robert at 717-266-2778 18 Toll-Free Number: 1 800 FIGHT MS CHAPTER NEWS PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST: “MY LIFE” W e're having a photography contest for Teens. The “My Life” photography contest. Capture your life: your parents, siblings, friends, important adults in your life, yourself, pets, treasured things, favorite places. Self-portraits, dreams, action shots, scenery-all are welcome. Color or Black & White. Here are the contest specifics: 1. Open to all teens, 13-19 years old. The teen does not have to have MS, but have a connection with someone diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (family member, friend, teacher, etc). 2. Subject: “Capture your life: your parents, siblings, friends, important adults in your life, yourself, pets, treasured things, favorite places. Self-portraits, dreams, action shots, scenery.” The photo can be about anything the teen wishes and does not have to be about to MS. 3. Format: Color or Black & White. 4. Submission details: Send a print, any size, of the best shot, along with age, name, and address. One entry per person. 5. Deadline: April 30, 2005 6. Mail to: Editor, Teen InsideMS, National MS Society, 733 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017. 7. No entries will be returned. Parents of all winners will be asked to sign a Media Release. Winners: Grand prize is a $100 gift card to Best Buy. Runner-up prize is a $25 gift card to Best Buy. One grand prize winner for the best photograph and 10 runners-up will be chosen. All winners will be showcased on our National Web site. Visit our Website at: www.nationalmssociety.org/pac 19 SPRING2004-05 ADVOCACY G reetings to all. Once again, it’s time for my two cents on Advocacy as it relates to MS. In past issues, I have concentrated most on our own abilities to advocate for ourselves. This time, my focus is a bit different. The change is a direct result of my life experience of the past few months. Since my last article, I have been continuing to experience an episode which has left me at best, unable to work, at worst, extremely frustrated. As a result, I have been a direct recipient of the advocacy of others, a position in which I must admit, I am not entirely comfortable. For the past 13 years of experience with MS, I’m used to advocating for myself rather comfortably. I’ve never been shy about asking for help with (and in some cases, demanding) whatever it is I require. I try not to confuse “needs” and “wants” and for the most part, completely understand and respect the differences therein. It’s also a lesson I constantly remind my two boys, now 14 and almost 12 to respect. In the recent past (and present!), I find myself in the position of receiving the advocacy of several individuals close to me (family members, physicians, nurse practitioners, employer representatives, insurance coverage case workers, church partners and friends). During this time, I have received flowers, meals, cards, prayers, favors, medication and therapy changes and other numerous expressions of concern and caring. Due to the length of this episode and its reluctance to follow acceptable treatment outcomes (sorry if you can read my frustration!), my doctors here recently took the initiative to have my medical case reviewed by an external, objective medical expert. The attempt was 20 offered and made to research opportunities for traditional and nontraditional treatments that might improve my body’s ability to fight off the dreaded symptoms. With the help of my Chris Suski immediate family and the additional support of some extended family members, namely, my Uncle Joe (my family’s patriarch, since the passing of my Dad, his older brother, almost nine years ago) and his wife, my Aunt Helen, I was able to receive and complete the requested medical consultation last week. Between the two of them, they transported me to and from the appointment, fed me VERY well, counseled me, and gave me a warm bed in their home to rest in, the night before the appointment, located in a city not far from their home. The entire experience brought “home” to me (no pun intended!) a concrete reminder of the value that others play in our lives each and every day. It also reminded me, (with all the subtlety of a brick to the head!) that, as much as we’d like to convince ourselves (particularly when things are going WELL!), we can not possibly do it all ourselves. We are NOT self-reliant and I believe that is by design. My own higher power seems to have no trouble reminding me that humility is a gift, not a character flaw. In my own case, I couldn’t help but to become at least somewhat humble, when discussing my embarrassing symptoms and experiences with even those closest to me. Toll-Free Number: 1 800 FIGHT MS (continued on page 31) ADVOCACY Pennsylvania Advocacy State Legislative News S TATE BUDGET As taxpayers, we sometimes focus only on how much we pay in taxes, rather than looking at what our tax dollars buy. Those of us who have, or care about those who have chronic conditions, like MS, should also pay attention to the availability of funds for the health and social services on which we rely. And now is the right time to pay attention. Spring is state budget season. In early February, Governor Rendell proposed a budget for the year which begins on July 1, 2005 and runs until June 30, 2006. That proposal is currently being considered by the State General Assembly. After extensive discussion and debate, and, hopefully, sometime before July 1, the PA General Assembly will pass, and the Governor will sign, the budget for 200506. Between now and then, Pennsylvanians can make their views known to their state Senator and Representative and to the Governor. Governor Rendell’s proposed budget includes good and bad news for people with chronic conditions and disabilities. On the positive side, there are significant expansions proposed for home and community based services. For example, the budget includes funding for approximately 775 new people to be added to the rolls of the Attendant Care Program. There appears to be some additional funding for the Shared Ride Program for Persons with Disabilities, which could enable the program to expand beyond the current 24 counties. On the negative side, caps and increased co-payments, are proposed for the Medical Assistance program. Combined with some proposed cuts and caps on the federal level, this could seriously limit health care available to low income people. At this point, the state budget is only a proposal. Now is the time to let your legislators know your priorities. Check out this important web site: http://www.legis.state.pa.us • Now you can search for your legislator by zip code or county! Just use box labeled “Find Members By” in the upper-right hand corner... • Visit our Session Information page for all your legislative information needs. Be sure to check out our new Daily Session Activity by EMail application! • Learn about: Pennsylvania History; Pennsylvania State Government, Just For Fun Facts, and Information About Fellowships and Internships Visit our Website at: www.nationalmssociety.org/pac 21 SPRING2004-05 CHAPTER NEWS Society Launches Nationwide Awareness Campaign with Giant Food Stores D uring the month of February, Central Pennsylvania did not only think Valentine’s Day, they were also thinking “hope!” Between January 30 - February 26, 2005, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society joined forces with Giant Food Stores to offer the sale of the National MS Society’s MS Band of HopeSM at 92 Giant/Martins Pharmacy departments throughout Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Maryland. “GIANT Food Stores is proud to support this worthwhile organization through the sale of the Band of Hope wristbands in our Pharmacy departments” says Michael Dobbs, Vice President of Marketing at GIANT. “One of our major objectives in selling these bands is to raise funds to help fight the devastating effects of MS. At the same time, we’re trying to increase the understanding of this disease in our local communities. This is why we’ve partnered with the National MS Society to distribute 22 their materials that explain what MS is and how it affects people with the disease.” To get your own MS Band of Hope or to obtain larger quantities and pricing information, please contact the chapter office at 1-800-2272108 or 717-652-2108. We are requesting a $1.00 donation for each wristband. Individuals registered with the chapter with a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis can call the Chapter Office to receive their free wristband. The wristband is also symbolic of the hope the Society provides as we press forward toward our goal to end the devastating effects of MS–forever. We hope people will wear it often. The National MS Society provides hope to millions of people around the globe that someday soon we will have an MS free world. Support the MS cause and be part of the message of hope by getting and wearing your own MS Band of Hope.SM Toll-Free Number: 1 800 FIGHT MS CHAPTER NEWS Message of Love and Hope (continued from page 1) “When I was 8 years old my mom was not feeling well for a long time. Our little brother was a baby and so she never had any energy. When Willie (my little brother) was 14 months old the doctors told us my mom had multiple sclerosis. At first I was scared because I though she would get sicker. I didn’t really understand what that meant. Then we had to move and I had to learn to help more. Sometimes my mom feels better and sometimes she is worse. There are times when our plans are cancelled that make me feel disappointed. Message from the Chapter President (continued from page 2) at our MS Dinner of Champions as we continue the tradition of honoring our Parent and/or Caregiver of the Year. HOPE IS SUSTAINED BY MAINTAINING THE QUALITY OF LIFE. Our chapter offers education and outreach programs designed to help people explore what “wellness” means in the face of MS. I encourage you and your family to participate in the numerous educational and social programs that we are offering in the upcoming months. HOPE FOR THE FUTURE. Progress feeds hope and hope feeds the determination to make progress. The Society spends more money on MS research than any other non-governmental agency in the world, investing about $35 million annually on research programs. This includes more than 300 MS research investigations at the She looks like she feels okay but her legs bother her or she doesn’t have energy. I don’t always understand and it can be sad sometimes. We can talk and I know my mom tries her best to be a good mom. We have our faith and our family and that makes me happy.” This optimistic family when faced with the diagnosis of MS; took the time to learn about the disease; became active in the MS Community (self help groups, and MS Walk) and maintained their participation with their children’s school and church activities. Marcy has three siblings, Willie age 5, Victoria age 8, and Monica age 10. best medical centers, universities and other institutions throughout the United States and abroad. By the end of FY 2005, the Society will have spent $460 million on research-related programs since its founding. This investment is paying off in significant progress toward finding treatments and in better diagnosis, rehabilitation and symptomatic therapy for people with all forms of MS. Together we are PARTNERS IN HOPE. When you participate in one of our events or programs, you are not alone, you are participating for the thousands of people affected with MS in Central Pennsylvania. You can show your support of the National MS Society by wearing your own MS Band of Hope. Look for more information on this popular awareness campaign described in this issue of our newsletter. Join us and experience The POWER of the Partners in Hope. Visit our Website at: www.nationalmssociety.org/pac 23 SPRING2004-05 SELF HELP GROUPS 24 AREA (CITY) MEETING TIME MEETING LOCATION CONTACT INFORMATION BLANCHARD 2nd Thursday • 7:00 pm Please call for more information Bonnie Long-Bortot (570) 962-3878 “BUT YOU LOOK SO GOOD” CARLISLE 2nd Tuesday • 7:00 pm Carlisle Y.W.C.A. Resource Room Pam Spence (717) 243-6224 COUDERSPORT Last Monday of the Month • 7:00 pm Sweden Valley Manor Route 6, East Dean Dow (814) 274-7296 DANVILLE 3rd Wednesday • 7:00 pm Grandview Health Home Marge Leiby (570) 271-0315 Helen Dorman (570) 473-8335 ENDLESS MOUNTAINS 2nd Saturday • 2:00 pm L. Alice Hunsinger (570) 869-1214 FRANKLIN COUNTY 3rd Wednesday • 10:00 am United Brethren Church King & 2nd St., Chambersburg Cheryl Wauls (717) 264-9064 HANOVER 1st Monday • 7:00 pm Hanover Area Family YMCA 23 Chestnut St. Sue Bell (717) 637-5621 HAZLETON 3rd Sunday • 2:00 pm Center City Apts. Community Room 70 S. Pine St., Hazleton Doug Quinn (570) 459-2587 HAZLETON MS GIRLS DAY OUT 4th Thursday 10:00 am - 1:00 pm Perkins Restaurant West Hazleton Judy Overholt (570) 455-0475 HERSHEY/ PALMYRA 2nd Tuesday • 6:30 pm Funck’s Family Restaurant Palmyra Stacey Brocklehurst (717) 566-2216 HONESDALE 4th Sunday • 2:00 pm Wayne Memorial Hospital June Utegg (570) 253-4855 L.A.M.S. 1st Monday • 7:00 pm Lancaster General Health Campus 2100 Hbg. Pike, 3rd Floor Conference room Vahid (Vic) Tahmasbi (717) 871-1241 Towanda Memorial Hospital Toll-Free Number: 1 800 FIGHT MS SELF HELP GROUPS AREA (CITY) MEETING TIME MEETING LOCATION CONTACT INFORMATION LEBANON 1st Tuesday • 6:30 pm Not Currently Meeting Lebanon Good Samaritan Hospital, Classroom #1 Pat Chadwick (717) 273-0278 LEWISBURG 2nd Tuesday • 6:30 pm Evangelical Community Health Education Center Route 15 – Staples Plaza Ilene Daniels (570) 568-2096 Jody Zimmerman (570) 523-9171 MAKING STRIDES 2nd Tuesday 7:00 pm-9:30 pm The Country Meadow’s Retirement Community, York Shelly Butcher (717) 428-1263 MT. CARMEL 1st Wednesday • 6:30 pm Family Medical Center East 5th St. Mt. Carmel, PA Mary O’Donnell (570) 339-0262 NORTHERN DAUPHIN COUNTY 3rd Monday • 6:30 pm Susquehanna Lutheran Village Cheryl Reisch (717) 692-0371 PERRY COUNTY 2nd Sunday • 3:00 pm New Bloomfield Senior Center Ellie Cooper (717) 789-4574 Karen Pike (717) 582-8845 Norma Dunham (717) 582-0237 SCRANTON 2nd Sunday 2:00 pm-4:00 pm Allied Services Building 475 Morgan Highway Peggy Carrick (570) 586-0852 STATE COLLEGE 3rd Tuesday • 6:00 pm HEALTHSOUTH Outpatient Clinic Doris Thomas (814) 234-7001 SOUTHERN ADAMS COUNTY 3rd Sunday • 1:00 pm Fairfield Fire and EMS Co. 2 Lynn Moody (behind Sunny Ray’s (717) 642-5123 in Fairfield, just off Rt. 116) Linda Krietz (717) 642-9383 WELLSBORO 4th Saturday • 10:00 am Education Room Soldiers and Sailors Hospital Mike Trujillo (570) 724-5625 WILKES-BARRE 4th Sunday • 2:00 pm Riverside Rehab Center 220 South River St. Debbie Malys (570) 823-1204 Visit our Website at: www.nationalmssociety.org/pac 25 SPRING2004-05 SELF HELP GROUPS AREA (CITY) MEETING TIME MEETING LOCATION CONTACT INFORMATION WILLIAMSPORT SELF HELP GROUP 4th Tuesday • 7:30 pm St. John’s Methodist Church, Williamsport Dick Leidhecker (570) 326-9209 WINNING SPIRIT Please Call for Schedule Outlook Pointe Harrisburg Cathy Finney (717) 763-4648 YORK AREA MS Hope Club 2nd Thursday • 7:00 pm (Apr. - Oct.) Church of Christ 509 Pacific Avenue, York Susie Harro (717) 764-9082 Hanover Alice Boothroyd (717) 637-9689 Harrisburg Area Sheryl Houser (717) 957-3277 SUPPORT BY TELEPHONE CLARA SHEAFFER CLUB Please Call for Schedule CHAPTER NEWS MS DINNER OF CHAMPIONS WILL HONOR FRANCO HARRIS The sporting event of the year takes place on Friday, June 17th, not in a stadium, or on a field, but at the Hershey Lodge and Convention Center, the MS Dinner of Champions, to benefit the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Central Pennsylvania Chapter. This year the event will honor Hall of Fame legend, and Steeler great, Franco Harris. The day begins with the Highmark Blue Shield golf outing at Dauphin Highlands and the festivities continue with a tailgate reception, dinner and program that will feature distinguished guests paying tribute to Franco Harris. The MS Parent and Care Partner of the Year will be honored as well. A limited number of sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information call the chapter at 1-800227-2108 and plan to be with us this June when we honor Franco Harris for his commitment to the fight against MS! 26 Visit our Website at: www.nationalmssociety.org/pac CHAPTER NEWS Give the Gift of The Love and Hope Bouquet T his spring, honor your loved ones with a bouquet of a colorful mix of vibrant pink stargazer lilies with alstromeria, snapdragons and carnations, which are beautifully blended with limonium, heather and plumosa. This lovely arrangement makes a stunning statement in a pretty glass vase, which is accented with a sheer French ribbon. Our Love and Hope Bouquet includes our “MS Band of Hope” wristband. A perfect floral selection to send for Mother's Day, or just to brighten someone's day. Pealers Flowers are partnering with the National MS Society, Central Pennsylvania Chapter by selling this exclusive Love and Hope Bouquet for $39.95 and a portion of the proceeds from each sale will benefit the Society. The bouquet will be available at all Pealer's locations, (cash and carry) and online for delivery in Dauphin, Cumberland, and York counties and in Palmyra. For more information about this extraordinary bouquet, go to our web site at www.nationalmssociety. org/pac or call the Chapter Office at 717-652-2108. Upcoming Programs (continued from page 13) Out to the Movies Date: Saturday, June 11, 2005 Time: 2:15 pm - After the Movies Location: Hanover Theatre, 380 Eisenhower Drive, Hanover, PA Questions: Call the Chapter Office at 717-652-2108 or 1800-227-2108 Music Together: Mommy and Me Date: Saturday, June 25, 2005 Time: 10:00 am - 12:30 pm Location: Holiday Inn, Harrisburg-East (Airport Area), 4751 Lindle Road, Harrisburg, PA Questions: Call the Chapter Office at 717652-2108 or 1-800-227-2108 An Evening At The Historic Bowman Field Ball Park Date: Thursday, June 30, 2005 Time: 6:00 pm - Until End of Game Location: Historic Bowman Field, Williamsport, PA Questions: Call the Chapter Office at 717652-2108 or 1-800-227-2108 Visit our Website at: www.nationalmssociety.org/pac 27 CHAPTER NEWS SPRING2004-05 N E W S YO U C A N U S E WOMEN ON THE MOVE - MOTHER’S DAY MAKEOVER PROGRAM This award is given by Women on the Move to acknowledge various obstacles and struggles that uniquely face women. It is to honor women who have made tremendous strides in their lives despite difficulty and challenge. Women on the Move will honor two women in the Central Pennsylvania area who are single mothers wrestling with cancer, heart disease or multiple sclerosis. The two mothers selected will receive shopping passes to the BonTon, grocery vouchers to Giant Food Stores and makeovers, our Movement Award and other notorieties for Mother’s Day, May 8, 2005. Our motto: “How women feel about themselves is directly connected to what they will do with themselves.” Nominee Criteria • Must reside in the central Pennsylvania area • Must be a single mother • Must have one of the three illnesses: cancer, heart disease, multiple sclerosis • Must have medical verification of illness. • Must be at least 21 years old. Nomination Rules • Only nominations postmarked by April 18, 2005 will be accepted. • Nominations must be in essay form no more than two pages long (You may include photos, or any additional written information that you wish the selection committee to consider. • Nominator must state their name, address, telephone number (home or work), email • The essay must describe in detail the single mother’s (nominee) day-to-day battle with her illness and her daily labor of love and care of her children. • The essay must also include the nominee’s name, address, telephone number (home or work), email, date of birth and place of birth. • Seven copies of the nomination essays must be included Please mail seven copies of your nomination essays and any additional written information that you wish the selection committee to consider to: Women on the Move, Inc. Attn: Movement Award Selection Committee P.O. Box 5265 • Harrisburg, PA 17110 Your nominations must be postmarked by April 18, 2005. Any written information that you send along with the nomination essay will not be returned. 28 Visit our Website at: www.nationalmssociety.org/pac CHAPTER NEWS Fundraisers Held to Help Fight MS! W e are incredibly fortunate to have so many clubs, organizations, businesses, families, and most of all friends who hold events on our behalf, and donate the proceeds to the Society. We wanted to tell you about some of them and the special projects that they have done to help us fight MS: The Retail Artists at Lancaster Newspaper decided instead of holiday gifts to each other this year, they would donate their polyanna gifts totaling $70 to the Society this past Christmas. The East End Boys Tavern in Sunbury held a “soup tasting” contest and raised $375. The Employees of the Pennsylvanian Department of Revenue donated $100 to the Society from their Recreation fund that supports initiatives that promote morale and enjoyment among Department of Revenue employees. Anthony and Laura Southard held their annual camping/music weekend at their farm in Hummelstown this past fall and donated $300 from their friends that attended. The Lancaster Brass Quintet held it’s annual holiday concert to benefit the Society in December and donated $1,046 from the offering that was collected during the evening. Benjamin Jones, a student at West York Area Senior High School for his graduation project coordinated a 5K Charity Race to benefit MS and raised $1040. Grasshopper Lawns once again selected the National MS Society to be their beneficiary from the 2004 Grotto Pizza Parade of Trees, and donated $96.50. Once again this past December, the employees of Swineford National Bank in Hummels Wharf held a “Dress Down Day” and the Society was chosen to receive the collection of $137 from their efforts. Members of the staff of Lewistown Hospital donated $3 on a “Jeans Day” to benefit MS and together raised $529! Members of the String of Pearls Chapter 21503 of the Red Hat Society in York held a basket bingo that raised $1,600 for the Society. $1,400 was raised at Buffalo Bills Bar in Lewisburg, from a fundraiser featuring “The Spastics-R-Bak” Jane Vera continues to make and sell doll clothes to benefit the National MS Society. She donated $1,000 from her labor of love. The Youth Group of Immanuel United Methodist Church in Glen Rock raised $300 from a Bike Hike this fall that they organized. Special thanks to all of these groups, and to the many others that work hard to raise funds on our behalf! Visit our Website at: www.nationalmssociety.org/pac 29 TRADITIONAL GIVING SPRING2004-05 Your Footprints E veryone leaves footprints on the sands of time. A person is remembered for the weight of his or her character. For indentations of accomplishment. For shapes of kindness. For length of compassion. For width of personal warmth. For generosity. For values. When we leave positive impressions behind, we enhance the lives of our friends and loved ones. We give them footprints to follow. Thoughtful estate planning is one means we have to make a print in the sand to help others recall our priorities. For example, consider the effect of even a simple will or trust that includes provision for family members and resources for the charitable causes you support, like the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. An estate gift makes a positive statement. When you include the Society in the final disposition of your estate, you declare to your family and friends that you believe in and care about our mission. Your parting gift becomes a clear declaration of your values. An estate gift provides needed funding. Estate gifts are especially valuable, not only because they tend to be larger than annual gifts, but also because they often come at critical times. They provide that 30 extra boost to the budget that can make the difference between research and program advancement and retrenchment. Estate gifts can be designated for a specific purpose such as a local program, research or college scholarships or they can be unrestricted for use where needed most. An estate gift encourages imitation. There’s something about a well-planned estate gift that influences others to “go and do likewise.” As friends and family members plan their own estates, they may recall your generosity and thoughtfulness. Your gift may unlock resources from other estates that help us to end the devastating effects of MS. Dedicated staff are available to provide you with the information and materials you need to include charitable giving in your overall estate plan. To request a complimentary brochure entitled “Creating A Legacy for Tomorrow”, call your special gift officer at 1-800-FIGHTMS, or contact the Gift Planning office at 1-800-923-7727, or visit our website at www.nationalmssociety.org and click on the Donate to the Society button and then explore the Guide to Giving section. Visit our Website at: www.nationalmssociety.org/pac CHAPTER NEWS Ask the Health Care Professional (continued from page 5) home and on week-days in the late afternoon when the kids need to do their homework and dinner needs to be prepared – you are well prepared to ask your health care professional for the specific help that you need. You might ask whether there’s anything you can do to reduce the sideeffects from the medication, whether there is another medication that has fewer side effects or better addresses late afternoon fatigue, whether taking the fatigue medication only on week-ends is an option, and whether there are other ways you haven’t thought of that might help you better manage your specific fatigue issues. Having this self-knowledge takes you a long way toward establishing an effective relationship with your health care professional. A professional faced with such questions will know exactly what you need and want, will find that very helpful, and will welcome this approach. Being respectful of those needs and wants and using his or her understanding of MS in general, the health care professional is now able to apply that knowledge to your specific needs. You are each empowered to use your own specialized skills and knowledge. As a result, together you are now able to create the best plan for you – a great team effort! Advocacy (continued from page 20) The simple “end” to the story of the consultation visit, is that (and I can’t BELIEVE that I didn’t see this coming!), of course, it wasn’t the end. The perspective was fresh and full of ideas and promise. I am currently undergoing some “re-testing,” a situation with which unfortunately, too many of us are well acquainted. Soon, with the help of all those people types named earlier, I hope to be implementing and trying some of the new options and suggestions and getting back to the full time practice of my chosen careers of marriage, motherhood, and my employment vocation in the healthcare industry. I guess I will close this time with the idea that although it is good and healthy to be one’s OWN advocate, it is also REALLY nice to be able to (patiently?!) sit back and know that others in our lives are probably better at it than we are. At the very least, the help and assistance of many is likely to be greater than anything one individual may have been able to accomplish alone. I hope to have some positive news and experience to share with you all by the time the next article cycle arrives. In the meantime, thanks again to all of you angels in my life, and God bless you all until we meet again. Visit our Website at: www.nationalmssociety.org/pac 31 CHAPTER NEWS SPRING2004-05 An interview with new Chapter Chair Tony Schiano, President and CEO Giant Food Stores, LLC T years in a row raising over $1,000,000 for the Society. What do you attribute this success too? And what is the benefit to GIANT Food Stores? Why did you become involved with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society? I believe the success is due to the commitment of the people at GIANT wrapped around with customer involvement. Participating in the MS WALK and MS Bike Tour has been good for team building, and moral, and helps to get the associates connected to an important cause. MS affects women twice as often as it affects men, and women are our target customers, so supporting MS is a natural fit for us. ony was elected as Chairman of the Central Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society at the Annual meeting this past October. Below are the answers that he shared during a recent interview: My wife and I knew several people (friends and co-workers) with MS and we were aware of the disease and how debilitating it could be. When I was invited to be a member of the MS Leadership Class it seemed like a good opportunity to do something positive about it, so I said yes. I was in the Class and then the next year I was asked by Jim Gibson to be the Honorary Chair of the Class, and I said yes. After that Margie Adelmann, Chapter President, asked me to join the Board, and it has been a building project ever since. As I got more involved, I found more connections between our associates and customers, and more of a reason to stay connected. GIANT has embraced the MS WALK and been recognized as the number one WALK team in the country for three 32 As Chairman, what do you hope your legacy will be? I hope to be able to strengthen awareness and understanding about MS, which will lead to more support financial and otherwise, which will ultimately accelerate us to ending the devastating effects of MS. I’d also like to see us reach the $1 million mark for the MS WALK, and surpass that goal. I believe that we need to continue to grow teams of all sizes and affiliations to do that. I also hope that we will continue to explore other services and programs to meet the changing needs of people living with MS today, and those that will be diagnosed tomorrow. Visit our Website at: www.nationalmssociety.org/pac CHAPTER NEWS Harrisburg MS Leadership Class of 2004 Bryson Leidich Photography. Honorary Chairman – Richard H. Lenny, Chairman, President and CEO, Hershey Foods Corporation Honorees in alphabetical order: Cynthia L. Adams, Cookies By Design; Martha J. Averso, Gannett Fleming, Inc.; Bernard M. Banas, Jr., Hershey Foods Corporation; Virginia Barr, High Associates, LTD.; Tina Beam Klinefelter, Pennsylvania State Bank; Jeffrey A. Beaulieu, Giant Food Stores, LLC; Suzanne Berg Currier, WGAL-TV; Anne C. Black, Nationwide Insurance Company; Timothy R. Bugas, Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Co.; John Bussenger, Giant Food Stores, LLC; Andrew B. Calhoun, Covenco Management Services; Devin J. Chwastyk, McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC; John E. Coy, Jr., Coy’s Public Accounting Co.; Kevin C. Curtis, M&T Investment Group; Sharon A. Daboin, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation; David M. Diffenderffer, Omega Bank; Jed Donahue, CenPenn Net Enterprises; Luke A. Drayer, Drayer Physical Therapy Institute; James E. Ellison, Rhoads and Sinon; Susan Eveland, Giant Food Stores, LLC; Stephen P. Fanion, Giant Food Stores, LLC; Frank J. Fischer, Jr., Commerce Bank; Dawson E. Flinchbaugh, Flinchy’s Restaurant Bar and Deck; Dean L.C. Foote, Gannett Fleming, Inc., Richard H. Friedman, McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC; Joseph A. Grosso, Waypoint Bank; Luke Kempski, JPL Productions; Mary Ann Kennedy Claravel, Claravel & Claravel; Matt R. Krise, Waypoint Bank; Kevin W. Laudenslager, Mid Penn Bank; Laurel L. Leitzel, Integrity Bank; H. Glenn “Bub” Manning, The Quandel Group; Duane F. Maun, Parente Randolph LLC; Bonnie J. McCarthy, Triad Strategies; Craig Mellott, Traffic Planning and Design, Inc.; D. Larry Mummert, PA Game Commission; Megan Neuhard, M2 Communications Solutions; John A. Obrock, Wildeman & Obrock, CPA’s PC; Trudie H. Olkowski, Commerce Bank; Thomas Palanica, G.R. Sponaugle Service Co.; Donald C. Papson, Hershey Foods Corporation; Eric D. Pettis, Comprehensive Financial Associates, Inc.; Anthony Pietropola, Gannett Fleming, Inc. – GeoDecisions; Pamela Polacek, McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC; Taylor K. Ranker II, Ranker – Hanshaw Financial Group; Lisa A. Ritter, Boles Metzger Brosius & Ritter PC; Vicki R. Shannon, The McNaughton Company; Robin L. Shirley, Leber & Wolf Plastic Surgery; Richard E. Stees, Erdman, Anthony, Associates, Inc.; Frank J. Subasic, Morgan Stanley; Melanie J. Tambolas, Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission Office of Commissioner Thomas; Robert E. Twomey, Dauphin Electric; Catherine E. Walters, Saul Ewing LLP; Robert Wasikowski, Giant Foods Stores, LLC; David J. West, Hershey Foods Corporation, Marilyn C. Zywiec, Computer Information Systems, Inc. Honorees not pictured: Albert Apicella, Conner-Apicella Orthodontic Associates; Anthony F. Barbush, Triad Strategies; K. Robert Bertram, Stevens & Lee; Thomas Connolly, Coca Cola Enterprises; Samuel T. Cooper III, Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott; Rebecca S. Fenstermacher, Upper Allen/Cumberland Valley Kiwanis; Cathy Finney, T’NT; Richard S. Friedman, Friedman & King, P.C.; Mark Greenberg, Greenberg and Company; Andrew Gregoire, Commerce Bank; Peggy A. Grove, Rosewein Realty; Robert L. Marquette, Members 1st Federal Credit Union; Garrett H. Rothman, RSR Realtors, LLC; Douglas Sheaffer, Schaedler Yesco Distribution; Francis M. Socha, Thomas, Thomas and Hafer; Francis Soistman, HealthAmerica-HealthAssurance; Louise E. Sukle, Press and Journal Publications; Matt T Uhl, WHP-CBS21/UPN15; Mark A. Vickrey, Blooms by Vickrey; Julie A. Wilson, A+ Mailing Solutions. The prestigious MS Leadership Award is presented nationwide to a select group of individuals who have made significant contributions to their profession and community. An Advisory Council comprised of corporate and community leaders carefully reviewed over 150 names before the final honorees were selected. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society salutes our Harrisburg MS Leadership Class and their commitment to the mission…to end the devastating effects of multiple sclerosis. For more information about the Harrisburg MS Leadership Awards, The National Multiple Sclerosis Society or MS call 1-800-FIGHT MS or (717) 652-2108. Visit our Website at: www.nationalmssociety.org/pac 33 SPECIAL EVENTS SPRING2004-05 Riding Towards A Cure for MS T he Central Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society will hold its 20th Annual MS Bike Tour on Saturday, July 16 and Sunday, July 17, 2005. The ride will tour through the Gettysburg area, including routes through Maryland, Adams County, and the historic battlefields of Gettysburg. Riders can choose between a 20-, 50-, or 75-mile route for each day, with an additional 25-mile route offered on Saturday for those riders who want to participate in a Century Ride. W ho you are is illuminated by how you help. For those with the passion to make a positive difference, there is the MS Challenge Walk. This is your walk because you have the determination to do the right thing, to make the world a better place. You know the enduring light of transformation begins with a tiny flame and that one long journey over 3 days will shorten the road to the cure for multiple sclerosis. 34 The annual MS Bike Tour is hailed as one of the best-supported bike rides in the region. Riders are treated to a first-class bike ride complete with mechanical support, clearly marked routes, terrific food and snacks, and supportive volunteers. The 2005 Central PA MS Bike Tour expects to host over 600 cyclists and, with the help of 250 volunteers and corporate sponsors such as AllHealth, Davis Vision, GIANT Food Stores, LLC, and M&T Bank, raise over $275,000. Among the devastating setbacks for those who have MS, is a loss off the ability to put one foot in front of the other. The MS Challenge Walk affirms our commitment to stop the devastating effects of MS. When you walk, you move the world closer to a cure. You can walk in Annapolis, MD and still benefit your local neighbors who are living daily with the challenges of MS. For more information on this exciting new addition to our event family, contact Kerry Wevodau at 1-800 FIGHT MS. Visit our Website at: www.nationalmssociety.org/pac SPECIAL EVENTS Mark Your Calendars Now – We’re playing Iron Valley Golf Club for the fight against MS!! 2nd Annual John and Judy Byler Benefit Golf Outing supporting the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Central Pennsylvania Chapter Iron Valley Golf Club Cornwall, Pennsylvania D Friday, August 26, 2005 1:30 p.m. esigned by the world-renowned architect P.B. Dye, Iron Valley Golf Club will provide an unparalleled golf experience for you, while supporting your efforts to end the devastating effects of multiple sclerosis. Iron Valley Golf Club is surrounded by scenic views on a 352 acre tract of land that has historical significance dating back to the late 1700’s. The exciting combination of natural terrain, extreme elevation changes, and challenging layout make Iron Valley Golf Club, truly, “A Course Like No Other.” We challenge you to join us on this premier public golf facility for the fight against MS. Outing fee is $100 per golfer / $400 per foursome. MUST REGISTER AS A FOURSOME. Fee includes: golf, carts, steak dinner, participant thank you gift and beverages on course. Sponsorships are available and include on-site and printed promotional opportunities, as well as foursome play at certain levels. Network with our golfers, promote your company and support the mission by participating in corporate and tee sponsorship programs. Sign up now to be included in the preevent early registration mailing due out May 1 or keep checking the website for more information. Call Karen Clipper, Campaign Manager at (717) 985-0250 if you have questions or email to fr@pac.nmss.org. We look forward to joining you at Iron Valley Golf Club for the fight against MS. Visit our Website at: www.nationalmssociety.org/pac 35 SPRING2004-05 TRIBUTES AND MEMORIALS Tributes and Memorials are a thoughtful and convenient way for you to acknowledge those who are important to you and, at the same time, support the work of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. In Memory of Hilda A. Fuhrer Marion Klinger; Jean Zeigler; Esther Teter; Debra and Patrick Brosius; Deth and Harley Becker; Cathy and Kirk Rollins; Jim and Audrey Brosius; Rodney and Jo Ellen Rumberger; Kenneth and Barbara Lupold Edward Ebeling Jr. Gloria Maliniak; Richard Eby; Mathew Mullin; Henry and Pam Szymczak; The associates of the Bon ton Visual Department; John and Doreen Eby; Al and Pat Simokat Ingeborg J. Lauber The staff and residents of Kingston House Apartments Anna A. Brown Craig and Karen Hocker Fred and Edith Engle Frances Engle Krajewski Anna A. Brown Anna Murray Geary Ralph Clark John, Beth & Jordan Lockhart Edward C. Neill David J. West; James A. Edris; Robert Mazzoni Jr.; Marcella K. Arline; Dan Azzara; Burton Snyder; Chris Baldwin; Richard Lenny; Tom Hernquist 36 Jeffrey Watts; Marie Elias; Dinges Family Phyllis Diehl Poet William Yost; IB Abel Inc.; Harry and Margaret Diehl; The Women of York Aglow Lighthouse Mr. and Mrs. Manifold Christian Sunshine Class Edith Nelson Maurice and Florence Guss; Harold and Jo Ann Kisner Asher Beamenderfer Armstrong World Industries, Inc., Marietta Ceiling Ellen Powers Felty WPMT Barbara B. Deviny Nancy P. Diehl Terry Lee Wagner Deborah Bankert Susan Maskrey The Oberdick Family Violet Steingard Dan and Arlenen Domue Violet Steingard Bonnie Paul Jan Keller Charles and Barbara Hamilton; Kenneth and Heidi Neiswender; Jim and Shirley Mohr Ryan Gemmill Zaida Montanez; Kathy Leon Shedlosky Summers and Gary Shirk Edward and Ann Gormley; Bo Berger and Cecelia Earl Stanly Coleman Sr. Leake; Custom Building Hortencio Perez Products; David Allen Company; Fulton Financial Joel Tegeler Corporation; Joseph and Maureen Tietge Betty Caplan; Mark Caldwell; Mr. and Mrs. In Honor of: Harlod Turk Janet Martin DeSciullo Julia Martin Peggy Spangler Robert Alleman; Lauretta Olinick; Donald Moyer Rita Radzwilla Angie and Jackson Chapasko; Helen Zalora Phyllis Feeser Brian Mann; Joseph Vasko; Dale and Joy Bievenour; John Deardorff; Tom and Barb Faulkner; Stanbaugh Ness, P.C.; Blaine Feeser and Family; Lynne Rhodewalt Margaret Garg Anna Barrick; Pamela Brown; Diane Reppun; William and Helen Ide; Dr. Mary Elizabeth Chaconas; Genevieve Sanchez-Howard; Daniel and Kathleen McCafferty; Ann Fitzcharles; Bald Eagle Grotto Hauck Calvin David Lohr; Joseph Bedard Doris (Puff) Davenport Baskin Ramsey Davenport; Joseph Goldsmith; Doris Herre; Mary Watts; Amy Pincelli; Bill and Elaine Siverling; Chester Wenrich Patricia Firestone; Daniel Pannebecher and Linda Firestone; Warren and Elva Beamesderfer; Rachelle and Kenneth Heinsey; Leon D and Linda Horst; Allen and Ethel Harding Melinda Hileman C. Scott and Sarah Harrison John F. Kennedy Erin Hubert Macklyn Beare Tom and Nancy Bender; Steve and Roxanne Andraseik; Ashley Andraseik; Kim and Pat Miller Robert Heyman Arnold and Fran Henry Frank DeMola Regina Lavelle; Waverly PTA; William Eckenrode; Irene Dangelo; Marie Brust; Sam, Renee and Rridget Giunta; Gretchen and Brianna Eagen; Nancy Phillips Theresa Dixon Immanuel United Methodist Youth Fellowship Jeremiah Wright Jonathan Lippy Marion Manganell Jessica Bodzio Jaime Wise Cheryl Nusbaum Debi Deremer Vagabonds Rod & Custom Club Katharine Surette Mr. and Mrs. Lester Loucks Laurie Dennison Mr. Ronald Bond Lori Lyn Jones Mrs. Barbara G. Sherrard Garey Logan Gregory Pappariella Jim Falk Gregory Pappariella Stuart Harris Gregory Pappariella Marty Lane The Underwriting Department for Aegis Security Insurance Company Darleen Fritz The Underwriting Department for Aegis Security Insurance Company Ryan Duck Cynthia Duck Steven M. Pandelidis, M.D. The Staff of Apple Hill Surgical Associates Lisa and Keith Boyer Elizabeth Mullen; Mr. and Mrs. Shoop Tim Mateer East Petersburg Elementary School Faculty Tod Shutt Facilities Planners & Architects, Inc. Keith and Lisa Boyer Nate Fackler; Tim and Sue Pankake; Leonard and Catherine Schott; Nelson and Gail Zimmerman Alec Crispino Douglas Pierce Gary Manifold Christian Sunshine Class Nicole Porter (Birthday) Mr. and Mrs. Porter Marilyn and Bocker Hunt Michael and Marylouise Grogan Visit our Website at: www.nationalmssociety.org/pac SPECIAL EVENTS Lend Us Your Legs T he Central PA Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society needs your legs for the annual 2005 MS Walk on Sunday, April 17th and Sunday, May 15th! Walkers are needed to walk at one of our scenic routes and help raise funds for the 5,000 local residents living with MS. Walkers can chose from one of 11 Walk sites across the Central PA Chapter area. Each site and route is equipped with rest stops, support vehicles, restroom facilities and a fabulous finish line celebration at the conclusion of the Walk! Participating in the Walk is a great way to raise awareness and funds for MS research and programs within our Chapter and throughout the nation. There is no registration fee or minimum pledge amount required to participate in the Walk. So gather together your friends, co-workers and neighbors, get registered and get those walking shoes laced up for a good cause! Team Week a Success!! team (tem) n. 1. a group organized to work together in co-operative activity 2. four or more people joined together under one team name to participate in the MS Walk or MS Bike Tour. This winter has been a phenomenal season for team development. Many thanks to over 143 team captains who have already registered their teams for this year’s events. I know there are more of you out there! We began 2005 with a series of TeamMS recruitment breakfasts, hosted by Tony Schiano of GIANT Food Stores, LLC (Camp Hill), Carol Ackerman of the Horst Group (Lancaster), and Don Dellinger of Beard Miller Co. LLP (York). We have already seen several new corporate teams develop out of those who attended. On February 5, the Central PA Chapter held our first annual Team Rally at the GIANT Center in Hershey. Thirty team captains and members gathered to exchange ideas on team building and fundraising, pledging to raise over $207,000 this year. We celebrated a record-breaking Team Week, with 56 teams registering over 800 team members for the MS Walk. That put us in the #1 spot for Team Week results among Chapters across the nation. Every day of the week, teams earned prizes for registrations. By the time of this publication, we will have completed another Team Week, during which we expect to register dozens of team members for the MS Bike Tour. If you would like to form a team for the MS Walk or MS Bike Tour, please contact Katie at (800) 556-6213 or fr@pac.nmss.org. Visit our Website at: www.nationalmssociety.org/pac 37 SPECIAL EVENTS 38 SPRING2004-05 Visit our Website at: www.nationalmssociety.org/pac SPECIAL EVENTS VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!!!! Lacing up your walking sneakers and hitting the pavement isn’t the only way to play a part in this year’s MS Walk, which helps the 5,000 people living with MS in Central PA – volunteers make a huge difference too! We’re looking for a few good volunteers for ALL of our Walk sites to help out with check-in, lunch, rest stops and more! You can even sign up to be on our “cheering squad” to motivate and thank Walkers as they cross the finish line! Volunteers are a vital part of the MS Walk. We’d love to have you on board to help us out! Simply fill out the registration form below to sign up. If you have any questions regarding the job responsibilities or timeframes for any of the volunteer positions, feel free to call Natasha Booton at 1-800-227-2108 or email fr@pac.nmss.org. Name _______________________________________________________________________ Address ______________________________________________________________________ City _________________________________ State ____________ Zip ________________ Home Phone: __________________________ Work Phone:__________________________ Date of Birth: __________________________ Gender: Male or Female T-Shirt Size: ____________ Email Address ________________________________________ Please indicate your volunteer choice(s): ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ Planning Committee Brochure Distribution Route Marking Check-In/Registration Lunch Server Support Vehicle Driver Rest Stop Support Finish Line Medical Support (Are you an: ■ EMT ■ RN) Communications (Are you a Ham Radio Operator? _______) Traffic and Safety Photography Please Circle Your Walk Site Sunday, April 17th Camp Hill Hershey Lancaster Lewisburg Mt. Carmel Montgomery Montoursville Shippensburg York Sunday, May 15th Scranton Wilkes-Barre Please mail this form to: National MS Society, 2209 Forest Hills Drive, Suite 18, Harrisburg, PA 17112 Or fax it to: 717-652-2590 Visit our Website at: www.nationalmssociety.org/pac 39 SPRING2004-05 C E N T R A L PA C H A P T E R O F F I C E S Chapter Office 2209 Forest Hills Drive, Suite 18 Harrisburg, PA 17112 (717) 652-2108 or 1-800-227-2108 Fax: (717) 652-2590 Serving: Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Fulton, Huntingdon, Juniata, Mifflin & Perry North Central Region 175 Pine Street Williamsport, PA 17701 (570) 326-3751 or 1-800-820-4011 Fax: (570) 326-6039 Serving: Bradford, Centre, Clinton, Columbia, Lycoming, Moutour, Northumberland, Potter, Snyder, Sullivan, Tioga & Union Eastern Region 2028 State Street East Petersburg, PA 17520 (717) 509-6301 or 1-800-556-6213 Fax: (717) 509-0930 Serving: Lackawanna, Lancaster, Lebanon, Luzerne, Pike, Susquehanna, Wayne, Wyoming & York NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID HARRISBURG PA Permit #467 Central Pennsylvania Chapter National Multiple Sclerosis Society 2209 Forest Hills Drive, Suite 18 Harrisburg, PA 17112 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED Toll-Free Number: 1 800 FIGHT MS