Women Against MS Luncheon

By LeeAnn Sharpe
An invitation to attend the Women Against MS luncheon at the Arizona Biltmore on Wednesday, April 23, 2008, filled an otherwise dull day with an opportunity to learn about Multiple Sclerosis and what progress has been made toward a cure or treatment. Even though I have a sister-in-law in California with this disease, I really knew very little about MS.

The brochure said, “An afternoon of inspiration, motivation and empowerment as we move towards a world free of MS.” Can the world be free of MS?

The first thing I learned about MS is that two thirds of it’s victims are women. And most look like the picture of health. Very few used canes or walkers or wheelchairs. But the terrible affects of the disease are still there and often make life very difficult.

Multiple sclerosis interrupts the flow of information from the brain to the body and stops people from moving. Featured keynote speaker Kristie Salerno Kent spoke of her experiences and how it’s hard for people to understand she has MS because she looks outwardly unaffected. She often hears, “You have MS? But you look so good.” Yet, it’s difficult to walk, she suffers pain, vision problems, and physical exhaustion is a constant problem.

A few years after Kristie received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Syracuse University, she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. She woke up one day unable to move her legs. It was a terrifying experience and with medication and therapy she can now walk. She decided that she was not going to give up her dreams of performing just because of her MS diagnosis. Kristie took on the role of an MS Lifelines Ambassador and travels the country speaking and singing for others who are affected by the disease. Now her performances are for a purpose and not just entertainment.

As a songwriter, Kristie writes from her own experiences and many of her songs were created from pages of her personal journal. Kristie's debut solo CD, "Believe" is a heartfelt testimony of her determination to succeed despite adversity. Her powerful and richly textured voice combined with her honest lyrics and memorable melodies make you BELIEVE that anything is possible.

You can watch "The Show Must Go On", a short video created by Kristie about her experience with MS. This video was one of six nationwide to be featured in the National MS Society Moving Forward Film Festival. It is available on You Tube.

At my luncheon table, Sandra Behlkea, a nurse, has a son-in-law with MS. She wrote a cookbook to help non-profits raise funds though its sale. Her son-in-law is now symptom free, the result of medication, diet and exercise. This is a common thread I hear over and over again. Still there is no cure for MS.

Dr. Dean Wingerchuk, MD an Associate Professor of Neurology at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine spoke to the group of several hundred women gathered this beautiful day. He made the point almost everyone knows someone with MS, even though they may not realize it. In the research of MS, two key areas of focus are the genetic aspect, which has identified two key genes linked to the disease. This is a big step forward toward learning why people get MS. Another is the environmental factors that contribute to MS. He felt the next ten years of research will lead to greater understanding. Right now the medications for treatment of MS have progressed tremendously in the last fifteen years. Research in MS is progressing at a remarkable rate, with more potential therapies in the pipeline than at any other time in history. This is all the result of research funded by the National MS Society.

Every hour in the United States, someone is newly diagnosed with MS, an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system. Symptoms range from numbness and tingling to blindness and paralysis. Most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, with more than twice as many women as men being diagnosed with the disease. MS affects more than 400,000 people in the U.S., and 2.5 million worldwide.

Last year the Women Against MS luncheon raised nearly $70,000 to provide programs for people living with MS and fund research towards the cure and treatment of this chronic disease of the central nervous system. This year they certainly surpassed that figure… reports yet to come. There is no cure. Maybe someday.

Women Against MS Luncheon
An afternoon of inspiration, motivation and empowerment as we move towards a world free of MS Wednesday, April 23, 2008 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa
Event Chair: Terry Ashoff Johnson
About the Luncheon
The National MS Society, Arizona Chapter and other outstanding women for an afternoon of inspiration, motivation and empowerment move towards a world free of MS. They share the joys of a fine lunch while watching an inspirational program emceed by Tara Hitchcock of "Good Morning Arizona" and with featured keynote speaker Kristie Salerno Kent. Guests also bought tickets for a live raffle held during the program for a wide variety of exciting prizes.


Clip of Kristie singing You Tube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3V9H3Oj7gG0

Get Involved Your involvement can make all the difference. Please join us for an upcoming event.

MS 2008: Maximizing Care Strategies A multidisciplinary continuing medical education conference Saturday, May 3, 2008 Hyatt Regency Phoenix http://nationalMSsociety.org/MS2008

Corks and Chords 2008 An evening of wine and music to end MS Saturday, September 13, 2008 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Mayo Clinic Scottsdale http://nationalMSsociety.org/corks2008

WalkMS: Prescott Walk on the Wild Side Saturday, October 18, 2008 7 :00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m Heritage Park Zoo in Prescott
http://walkaza.nationalMSsociety.org

WalkMS: Phoenix Walk on the Wild Side Saturday, November 8, 2008 7:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.SRP's Headquarters in Phoenix http://walkaza.nationalMSsociety.org

Bike MS: Round Up Ride 2009 March 28 & 29, 2009 Heritage Park in Florence, Arizona http://bikeaza.nationalMSsociety.org

For more information about the National MS Society, Arizona Chapter, please vIsit www.aza.nationalMSsociety.org or call us at 1-800-344-4867


See http://www.azphm.com/wams.htm for photos of the event