Fall 2010 MSConnection

MOVING TOWARD A WORLD FREE OF MS | fall 2010

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

HampTon RoadS CHapTER

Walk mS 2010pagE 3

Bike mSpagE 5

Self advocate toward a better life pagE 16

multifaceted VolunteerpagE 17

ANNuAL MEMbERShIp MEETING AND SOcIALWould you like to connect with others living with MS?

Would you like to find out how others build their bike or walk MS teams?

Would you like to thank an event participant who raises funds for the local programs and services?

Join us as we host a social for those with MS and our event participants in conjunction with this year’s Annual Membership Meeting! This is a great opportunity to mix and mingle, as well as exchange experiences and ideas with others in a casual, inviting atmosphere. Choose to come for the Social only OR stay for dinner, our Annual Meeting, volunteer awards, and keynote speaker.

pRESENTATION: The National MS Society is a driving force of MS research, supporting and stimulating world-class research into ways to prevent, better treat, and cure this unpredictable disease. Come learn how far we’ve come, where we’re going, and what the Society and others are doing to move us closer to a world free of MS.

INFORMATION

When: Thursday, October 28, 2010

Where: The Westin Virginia Beach Town Center 4535 Commerce Street Virginia Beach, VA 23462

Time: Social and Cash Bar begin at 5:30 pm

Dinner and presentation begin at 6:30 pm

cost: $15 for dinner (attending the Social only is free)

Scholarships are available upon request

RSVp REQuIRED bY October 18!

Return the registration form on page 19 of this newsletter along with your check to the chapter or go online to buy your tickets at www.fightMS.com

cOMMuNITY cALENDARPrograms in this section are not organized by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Multiple Sclerosis Educational GroupThe Multiple Sclerosis Educational Group is your opportunity to exchange information and coping strategies and get the latest on MS research and treatment in a comfortable and confidential environment. This program is designed for multiple sclerosis patients, caregivers, and families.

4th Tuesday of the Month at 5:30 pm Neurosciences Conference Room Riverside Medical Office Building 12200 Warwick Blvd. Newport News, VA 23601

The group is offered by Riverside Center for Neurosciences and meets on an ongoing basis.

For more information call (757) 875-7880.

I AM. I cAN. I WILL.™ Can Do Multiple Sclerosis is pleased to offer a new webinar series. This informative and accessible program for people with MS and their support partners is designed to help individuals see beyond their MS by gaining the knowledge and tools to adopt healthy lifestyle behaviors, actively co-manage their MS and live their best lives. (Join any of these calls at no charge.)

September 14, 2010 8-9pm ET-Exercise and MSOctober 12, 2010 8-9pm ET-- Bladder IssuesNovember 9, 2010 8-9pm ET-- Healthy Eating/ NutritionDecember 14, 2010 8-9pm ET--Relationships/ Communication

To register for any of these calls, visit www.mscando.org. For questions or more information call or email Maureen Martin with Can Do Multiple Sclerosis at 800-367-3101 ext. 1291 or [email protected].

757-490-96271-800-FIGhTMS

Publication of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society Hampton Roads Chapter760 Lynnhaven Parkway, Suite 201Virginia Beach, VA 23452

Chapter Chairman Jim Dyche

Chapter President Sharon L. Grossman

Newsletter Editor Robyn M. Hirsch

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 Society does not endorse products, services or manufacturers. Such names appear here solely because they are considered valuable information. The Society assumes no liability for the use of contents or any product or service mentioned.

The mission of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society is to end the devastating effects of Multiple Sclerosis.

If you or someone you know has MS: Studies show that early and ongoing treatment with an FDA-approved therapy can reduce future disease activity and improve quality of life for many people with multiple sclerosis. Talk to your health care professional or contact the National MS Society at www.nationalMSsociety.org or 1-800-344-4867 to learn about ways to help manage multiple sclerosis and about current research that may one day reveal a cure.

© 2010 National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Hampton Roads Chapter

2 | JoIn THE moVEmEnT: nationalmSsociety.org

IT’S TIME TO REGISTER FOR WALk MS 2010!Walk MS is a family-friendly event and this year we’re adding to the excitement! Start off with an invigorating walk then enjoy the crisp fall weather in a festive atmosphere with snacks, moonwalks, and more!

All members of the family are invited to join in the fun! Check out what’s planned:

kID’S ScAVENGER huNT: All children participating in Walk MS can “hunt” for different items along the route. Turn in your punch card for a prize at our Mission Table!

“DOGGIES GOT GAME!”: Does your dog have a special talent? Is he a great kisser? Is he the most “MS” Spirited? Eat frozen yogurt faster than the rest? Enter your pooch in “Doggies Got Game!” Any walker can enter their pooch! Contestants will compete on stage, we’ll vote by round of applause. The winners will receive Care-A-Lot Gift Cards!

MORE ThAN A WALk…

Your active participation in Walk MS offers help and hope to those with MS. The funds you raise provide many programs and services to those living with MS and their families in the Hampton Roads Community. So far this year, we’ve focused our Financial Assistance Program on emergency assistance requests such as rent, mortgage, power and utilities as well as durable medical equipment. However, our financial assistance funds are nearly

depleted. We need your help! Register today for Walk MS and recruit others to walk with you! The more we raise, the more we can help our neighbors who are struggling with MS.

EVENTS

peninsula Town center in hampton When: Saturday, October 2 Registration and check-in begin at 7:00 a.m. Walk Start Time: 8:00 a.m.

Mt. Trashmore Walk in Virginia beach When: Sunday, October 3 Registration and check-in begin at 1:00 p.m. Walk Start Time: 2:00 p.m.

Register at www.fightMS.com or call 757-490-9627. Together we will create a world free of MS!

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ThIS SpAcE AVAILAbLE...for you or your business!!

Help the Hampton Roads Chapter share important information about

research, programs, services and events by sponsoring the MS Connection and the

MS Update Newsletters.

You may sponsor the entire edition, or take out a full page, half or quarter page ad.

Promote your business or honor or memorialize someone special.

Contact Robyn Hirsch at 490-9627 or [email protected] to learn how

you can help.

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Hampton Roads Chapter is pleased to announce partnership with the Moscow Ballet for their 2010 Great Russian Nutcracker for the second time! This is the holiday event of the year that you will not want miss and we only have a limited number of tickets!

Moscow Ballet is an international touring company, traveling to over 70 cities in the U.S. and Canada this holiday season. This year’s performance features top graduates of Perm, Vaganova, Moscow State Academic Choreographic and Kiev schools. Chief

Choreographer Anatoly Emelianov returns with Vladimir Troshchenko as co-artistic directors, and Andre Litvinov joins them. Also accompanying them will be the children of the Virginia Beach Conservatory of Dance directed by Susan Boyette.

The partnership between Moscow Ballet and the National MS Society is extremely significant. Ballet is movement. MS stops people from moving. The National MS Society is a collective of passionate individuals who want to do something about MS now—to move together toward a world free of multiple sclerosis. Our mission is to mobilize people and resources to drive research for a cure and to address the challenges of everyone affected by MS.

Tickets may be purchased online at www.fightMS.com or by calling the chapter office. Corporate Sponsorships are also available. If you have any questions, or require additional information, please contact the Hampton Roads Chapter at 757-490-9627 or [email protected]

WhEN: Thursday, December 16, 2010 Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse Preshow Reception: 5:30 PM Performance: 7:30 PM WhERE: Sandler Center for the Performing Arts TIckETS: $100 ($50 tax deductible) Includes one of the best seats in the house, pre-show reception and private full cash bar.

MOScOW bALLET pERFORMANcE OF ThE GREAT RuSSIAN NuTcRAckER AND RuTh’S chRIS pREShOW REcEpTION TO bENEFIT ThE NATIONAL MS SOcIETY!

EVENTS


EVENTS

bIkE MS RAISES $630,000!This year, over 700 cyclists and 200 volunteers took to the roads of Virginia’s Eastern Shore for Virginia’s Ocean to Bay Ride. That’s a record breaker for the Hampton Roads Chapter!

PLANS ARE ALREADY UNDERWAY FOR BIKE MS 2011!

Cyclist registration is now open at www.fightMS.com. Registration is $31 plus accommodations until December 31, 2010. On January 1, 2011, registration will be $45 plus accommodations. As a special thank you to our cyclists, anyone who has participated in at least five Hampton Roads Chapter Bike Rides will receive a Big Wheel t-shirt. WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU NExT YEAR!

ThANk YOu

The success of Bike MS comes from the dedication of the cyclists, volunteers, and sponsors who

believe they can help create a world free of MS. Many thanks to the Bike MS 2010 sponsors:

93.7 BOB FMBay Creek Resort & Club

The Deloreans Texas Roadhouse

EMD SeronoShaklee

Best Western of the Eastern ShorePure Protein

Start Packing! Billy Wagner Moving & StorageCycle Classics


pLANNED GIVING

This past May the Hampton Roads Chapter received a surprising phone call: the niece of Emil and Lucy Gambow wished to anonymously donate her inheritance to the National MS Society. You see, she knew her aunt’s and uncle’s wishes were to make a bequest to the organization. Unfortunately, the Gambow’s will was lost, so she took it upon herself to make the donation.

Mr. Gambow had MS for as long as his niece could remember. He worked as a machinist in the space program at Grumman in Long Island, NY (now Northrop Grumman) and eventually retired to Florida. After his passing from a heart attack in the late 1990s, his wife Lucy moved to Virginia Beach to be near her niece as the Gambow’s did not have any children of their own. During her stay in Virginia Beach, she had often expressed her wishes to donate her money to the National MS Society after her death. Mrs. Gambow’s niece believes this was also written in her will, but since the will was lost, no one will ever know.

To make the Gambow’s wish come true, their niece visited the office and made a $20,000 donation- which was her portion of the inheritance. She believes her aunt and uncle would have wanted it that way. Our sincere thanks go out to the Gambow’s and their niece.

HOW CAN YOU MAKE A BEqUEST?Rare is the person who regrets having been truly generous or thoughtful. Yet, how can you give away property, securities or real estate now if you do not know whether you or your family will need those assets later? One solution is to make gifts to the National MS Society, by means of a bequest—a gift in your will. Following are some of the advantages of bequests:

Easy. A few sentences in your will completes • the gift.Revocable. Until your will goes into effect, • you are free to alter your plans.Versatile. You can bequeath a specific item, • an amount of money, a gift contingent upon certain events, or a percentage or remainder of your estate.Tax-wise. Your estate is entitled to an • unlimited estate tax charitable deduction for gifts to qualified charitable organizations.

SAMPLE BEqUEST LANGUAGEThe first step toward leaving a legacy is to make sure you have an up-to-date will and estate plan. While it is important to consult a qualified attorney for help, following is sample language that could be used when making a bequest to us:

Learn how to plan for tomorrow at our web site. Go to www.nationalMSsociety.org, click on ”Donate” and then click on “Planned Giving.” You won’t find a more complete resource for estate and charitable planning anywhere else on the web.

Discover a virtual encyclopedia of • information on how and what to give.Access hundreds of up-to-date articles on • making the most of your charitable giving.Calculate your income tax deduction for • charitable gifts.

MAkING A WISh cOME TRuE

“I give and bequeath to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society [written amount,

percentage of estate or description of property] for its (local programs, research

or general purposes).”



TAkE NOTE: WORkpLAcE GIVING NuMbERS FOR FALL 2010Friends of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society have a variety of ways to support the Hampton Roads Chapter at the workplace. While this is a very convenient way to support the Chapter, several of the numbers changed two years ago so please be certain that you are selecting the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (it may be listed Multiple Sclerosis Society, National).

cOMbINED FEDERAL cAMpAIGN is for Federal employees – both military and civilian. Mark #48028 on your pledge card. (Please, do not be confused with Multiple Sclerosis Association of America – MSAA.)

cOMbINED VIRGINIA cAMpAIGN is for State employees. Look for Multiple Sclerosis Society, National and mark your card accordingly or just WRITE IN National Multiple Sclerosis Society #6049.

uNITED WAY: While the National Multiple Sclerosis Society is not listed as a United Way agency, you may WRITE IN National Multiple Sclerosis Society on your pledge card and all United Ways will honor your designation.

cITY EMpLOYEES in selected cities and school systems will have the National Multiple Sclerosis Society listed among agencies. Choose #6049. If you don’t see the number, be sure to designate by WRITING IN National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Thank you for your support and be sure to call the Hampton Roads Chapter at 757-490-9627 if you have any questions.

WAYS TO GIVE

hELp DRIVE MS AWAY bY DONATING YOuR VEhIcLE TODAYThe donation of your car, truck, motorcycle, or trailer can be used to help fund critical research for multiple sclerosis. We make donating your vehicle simple.

kEY pOINTS Unlike other auto donor programs, the National MS Society receives 100% of the proceeds from the sale of your vehicle. Proceeds fund programs and services for people living with MS and research that will get us closer to a cure.

Your vehicle donation is tax deductible. The National MS Society is a non-profit, 501 (c) (3) corporation, so your donation is tax deductible to the extent allowable by law. Please refer to your tax professional for specific details.

IGNITING ThE pROcESS

Call our toll free number • 1-877-672-8864 or submit the electronic donation form found online at www.AuTOS4MS.org.

Have your title in hand when you call so • we can get specific information about the vehicle.

Fax a clear copy of your title, both front and • back, to 1-877-672-2774.

Once we receive the copy of your title, your • donation will be processed.

A towing company will contact you to • schedule vehicle pick up.

A receipt will be mailed to you after the • completed sale transaction of the vehicle.

For answers to all of our frequently asked questions, please visit www.AuTOS4MS.org or call 1-877-672-8864.


GET YOuR MS FLAppY WhILE ThEY LAST! Care-A-Lot Pet Supply is taking another bite out of MS with exclusive MS Research Flappy. All of the profits from the sale of these dog toys will go towards the funding of the Promise 2010 Campaign for MS Research, a nationwide effort to raise $30 million for MS research by the year 2010. The MS Flappy’s and all other MS pet products may be purchased at one of the Care-A-Lot Pet Supply retail locations or at www.carealotpets.com.

VISIT CARE-A-LOT PET SUPPLY AND THANK THEM FOR TAKING A BITE OUT OF MS!

SoUTHSIdE

1924 Diamond Springs Road Virginia Beach, VA 23455 Phone: 757-457-9431 Fax: 757-460-7326 Grooming: 757-457-9482 Day Care & Boarding: 757-457-9483STORE HOURS : Monday-Saturday: 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM Sunday: 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM

pEnInSUla

301 Oyster Point Rd. Newport News, VA 23602 Phone: 757-969-1004 Grooming: 757-969-1099 Fax: 757-969-1216STORE HOURS : Monday-Saturday: 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM Sunday: 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM

MAkE A DIFFERENcE WhILE LEARNING NEW SkILLSBuild real-world skills while helping to create a world free of MS. The Hampton Roads Chapter is looking for qualified full or part time college students to intern in the fall of 2010 and the spring of 2011. Internships are available in a variety of fields. Positions are unpaid, but the experience will be invaluable! Academic credit/community service credit is available.

AVAILABLE INTERNSHIPS:• Business Administration• Client Programs • Communications/Public Relations • Corporate Relations • Special Events• Volunteer Program Management

Contact the Kathy Whitlock at 757-490-9627 or by email at [email protected] if you are interested in rounding out your education or if you know a student who may be interested.

NEWS


What does self-advocacy mean? In short, it means speaking up for yourself. It also means making informed decisions and taking responsibility for them. The Society’s Self-Advocacy Toolkit at nationalMSsociety.org/selfadvocacy can help you advocate for a better life: in the family, at work, in your community, at the doctor’s office and for health insurance.

THE RIGHT TOOLS FOR THE JOB The toolkit helps clarify what questions to ask and offers a framework for answering them. What should you do about a sudden increase in the co-pay for your medication? Should you disclose your MS to your employer? How can you improve communication with your spouse and children?

“The Self-Advocacy Toolkit is ‘one-stop shopping’ for techniques to assess your situation, see reasonable solutions and come to a mutually agreeable result,” said Renee Vandlik, a Society senior manager for State and Local Government Relations. “It encourages individuals to identify a range of alternatives for meeting their needs.”

WORKING IT OUT The toolkit includes worksheets tailored to each significant area of life with MS: community, family, employment, medical care, Medicare, health insurance appeals, long-term care and Social Security Disability Insurance. Each worksheet provides a comprehensive, step-by-step approach to define the situation, consider a range of solutions and identify rights and responsibilities. The worksheets also offer sample situations and responses.

Each worksheet can be used to organize thoughts and actions around effective self-advocacy. You can keep track of tips and advice, do research on a particular issue and collect ideas for next steps.

ADVOcAcY

An activist meets with his legislator.


SELF-ADVOcATE TOWARD A bETTER LIFE

bEcOME A DISTRIcT AcTIVISTA District Activist is a volunteer that assists with the advocacy efforts of the Chapter by

providing a consistent and reliable presence in their legislative district. The volunteer spends

a few hours a month tracking local policy issues by reading newspapers, watching the news, subscribing to legislator mailing lists and getting

involved with local coalitions and boards. They also aid the Chapter with conducting

in-district visits with legislators.

If you are interested in becoming a District Activist, please contact the chapter at 757-490-9627


RESEARCH

STuDY MAY LEAD TO INDIVIDuALIzED TREATMENT For unclear reasons, a significant number of people with MS do not benefit from interferon therapy, but it can take months or even years to discover this. Since earlier treatment has been linked to better outcomes, being able to predict whether someone will respond to interferon could avert useless treatment and potentially improve results.

A study published in Nature Medicine (March 28, 2010) points the way to an answer why some respond to treatment and others don’t. Dr. Lawrence Steinman of Stanford University and Dr. Chander Raman, of the University of Alabama at Birmingham tested in mice their idea that response to interferon might depend on which types of cytokines (immune messengers) were leading immune attacks. They found that interferon reduced MS-like symptoms in mice whose experimental disease had been produced by T helper 1 cells, but worsened disease when it was caused by T helper 17 cells.

The team then checked blood samples of 26 people with MS and found they could differentiate between those who did and didn’t respond to interferon, based on patterns of cytokines.

Larger studies will be needed to confirm the study’s findings before they will be useful in the clinic. “The data provides a strong foundation

for the possibility that we will be able to tell someone before starting treatment if it will work,” said Dr. Steinman.

The study was funded in part by the National MS Society.

LOW-DOSE NALTRExONE MAY IMpROVE QuALITY OF LIFE Most people with MS experience stress, at least sometimes. A recent pilot clinical trial found that low-dose Naltrexone (LDN) may help. LDN is FDA-approved to treat opioid and alcohol addiction. At significantly lower doses, it has been prescribed as a treatment for certain diseases, including MS.

Up until now, there has been very little clinical study of LDN’s usefulness for people with MS. Dr. Bruce Cree, Dr. Douglas Goodin, and colleagues at the MS Center, University of California at San Francisco, conducted a

study of 60 people with MS. Participants received LDN for eight weeks and inactive placebos for eight weeks with one week free of treatment in between.

The investigators found that LDN significantly improved some measures of quality of life—specifically, mental

health, pain and self-reported cognitive function. However, they found no impact on symptoms such as fatigue, bowel and bladder control, sexual satisfaction or visual function.

RESEARch

“Being able to predict whether someone will respond to interferon

could avert useless treatment and

potentially improve results”

RESEARch

The investigators emphasized that the results did not support the use of LDN instead of proven MS treatments, but they do suggest that it may relieve certain MS symptoms, and that larger studies may be warranted.

WhAT cOMES FIRST— EpSTEIN-bARR OR MS? Virtually all people with MS are also infected with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), but like the chicken and the egg, scientists did not know which came first. Two new studies are adding to an increasing body of evidence that shows a possible role for EBV, a herpes virus that can cause several disorders, in the development of MS.

In the first study to look at whether EBV infection preceded the clinical onset of MS, Dr. Alberto Ascherio, of the Harvard School of Public Health, and colleagues showed that in a sample 305 people with MS found in U.S. military databases, an EBV-positive blood test came before MS diagnosis. [Annals of Neurology, January 20, 2010] “The results strongly suggest that EBV infection increases MS risk,” said Dr. Ascherio.

At the start of the study, only 5% of the participants, including the control group, tested negative for EBV. None of the people who tested negative for EBV during the follow up developed MS. In contrast, 10 people

who initially tested negative for EBV, but who acquired the virus during the follow up, developed MS. Dr. Ascherio and colleagues concluded that MS risk increases significantly following EBV infection.

“From a practical point of view, preventing EBV infection is difficult,” Dr. Ascherio said. “Most people are exposed to it in childhood. We do

know that people who have a stronger immune response to EBV are more likely to get MS. There’s also pretty strong evidence that being infected with EBV in the teens or later is a risk factor for MS.”

The Harvard results were supported by a study in Spain, where researchers at the Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron, Barcelona, reported that an immune response to a protein associated with EBV was increased in people with MS compared with siblings who did not have MS. [Multiple Sclerosis 2010: 16(3):355-358]

The study found that siblings showed signs of having been infected with a number of viruses. The only marked difference was their immune response to EBNA1, a viral protein associated with EBV. These were significantly higher in people with MS compared to their unaffected siblings.

More research is needed to find the mechanisms underlying the connection between EBV and MS, and a way to put the information to use.

“There’s pretty strong evidence that being

infected with EBV in the teens or later is a risk

factor for MS”

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MONEY MATTERS

NEED hELp pAYING FOR MS DRuGS?Managing the costs of MS meds is a huge challenge, especially for people with no insurance or who are underinsured. But some help is available. Each disease-modifying drug manufacturer and many makers of medications that treat MS symptoms have Patient Assistance Programs (PAPs), which offer free or low-cost medications to those who qualify. Prescription drug discount programs can help as well. Ask your doctor if there is a generic version available for any prescription.

Patience may be needed to get benefits, however. You can get support and information from the Society too. Visit nationalMSsociety.org/underinsured or call us at 757-490-9627.

RESOuRcE cENTERS — These centers can help with information, applications and exploring your options.

Name Website phone NumberNeedyMeds NeedyMeds.org (online service only)Partnership for Prescription Assistance

pparx.org 888-477-2669

RxAssist RxAssist.org 401-729-3284

For help in purchasing disease-modifying drugs

Drug Name Resource Website phoneAvonex MS Active Source msactivesource.com 800-456-2255 Betaseron BETA PLUS Patient Support Program betaseron.com 800-788-1467ICopaxone Shared Solutions sharedsolutions.com 800-887-8100Extavia Extavia Patient Support Program No Web site 866-925-2333Novantrone Novantrone Patient Assistance Program No Web site 877-447-3243Rebif MS Lifelines Access Made Simple mslifelines.com 877-447-3243Tysabri MS Active Source msactivesource.com 800-456-2255

For help in purchasing drugs that address MS symptoms

Drug Website phone NumberAmpyra (fampridine-SR) No Web site at press time 888-881-1918Baclofen (intrathecal only) rarediseases.org/programs/medication 800-999-6673 Cymbalta (duloxetine HCI) lillycares.com 800-545-6962Ditropan xL (oxybutynin chloride) jjpaf.org 800-652-6227Neurontin (gabapentin) pfizerhelpfulanswers.com 866-706-2400

Call an MS Navigator™ at 757-490-9627 about other drugs or state-supported patient assistance programs. The information here is not guaranteed to be up to date as programs may change, but we hope this helps you get started.


The Hampton Roads Chapter is blessed with a core group of volunteers dedicated to creating a world free of MS. We rely on them in many ways: to make our fundraising events run smoothly; to prepare mailings; to lobby government officials to support the Society’s advocacy platforms; to attend speaking engagements and health fairs on behalf of the Hampton Roads Chapter; and to help raise much needed funds for research as well local programs and services. Mei Ling Perkins performs many of these tasks… and not because we ask. Because she volunteers.

Mei Ling refers to her MS as a journey. She began feeling numbness in her right hand that spread to half way across her torso; from her shoulder down to her hip. After MRI’s and spinal taps, Mei Ling was eventually diagnosed with Relapsing-Remitting MS in 2007. Her diagnosis made sense. The more she learned about multiple sclerosis, the more she realized she had been experiencing symptoms since childhood. Mei Ling immediately contacted the Hampton Roads Chapter to get involved! True to herself, she approached this obstacle like all others she encounters- with a vengeance!

Mei Ling was diagnosed just weeks before Walk MS 2007. Realizing that she could begin doing something about MS immediately, she registered for the event with a team of four people who called themselves Fortune’s Cookie. In that short time, the team raised over $2,700 earning a Silver Team Award. We knew she was a rising star! This was just the beginning of what would become a rewarding relationship between Mei Ling, her family and the Hampton Roads Chapter. It’s a relationship that we are fortunate to have.

Mei Ling’s fundraising history for the chapter has been quite spectacular! In 2008, Mei Ling became a member of the Chapter’s Mission Possible Club by personally raising $6,538 and her team won the Platinum Team Award raising $7,413. Last year, Mei Ling became the number one individual fundraiser for Walk MS bringing in $8,684 and Fortune’s Cookie was rated the number one team raising $10,135. The team’s claim to fame? “Mu Shu for MS”!

If you like Chinese food and live in Virginia Beach, you may have met Mei Ling and her family at their restaurant, Forbidden City. She is very involved running the restaurant. Forbidden City has taken on a very active role of supporting those with MS. The week prior to Walk MS, Forbidden City hosts “Mu Shu for MS”, an annual fundraiser for the team. The entire restaurant supports the efforts with servers donating their tips and all proceeds from the evening going to the team. In 2009, Forbidden City signed on as the food sponsor for the Mt. Trashmore Walk MS event treating participants and volunteers to a fabulous meal! We’re pleased to announce that they’ll be returning as a sponsor for our 2010 Walk as the Mt. Trashmore food sponsor and the Walk MS Team Captains’ Rally sponsor. In addition

VOLuNTEER SpOTLIGhT

INTERESTED IN WALkING OR VOLuNTEERING? Check out our website, www.fightMS.com.

MEI LING pERkINS – A VOLuNTEER OF GOOD FORTuNE

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Continues on page 15

September 1, 2010Gloucester Group1st Wednesday of the month @ 10 amRiverside Wellness and Fitness Center 7516 Hospital Drive, Gloucester, VA

September 2, 2010African American Inspirational Group 1st Thursday of the month @ 10:30 amHampton Public Library936 Big Bethel Road, Hampton, VAFor more information contact VeeGee at (757) 746-2103 or [email protected].

September 8, 2010Williamsburg Group 2nd Wednesday of the month @ 5:30 pm James City County/ Williamsburg Community Center 5301 Longhill Road, Williamsburg, VA For more information contact JoAnn at (757) 220- 0902.

September 9, 2010peninsula Evening Group 2nd Thursday of the month @ 5:30 pmSentara Careplex Hospital (York River Entrance, Conf. Rm. A)3000 Coliseum Drive, Hampton, VA For more information contact Diana at (757) 722-2492.

September 14, 2010Virginia beach Morning Group 2nd Tuesday of the month @ 10 amKempsville Public Library832 Kempsville Road, Virginia Beach, VA For more information contact Pete at (757) 497-6594 or [email protected].

September 15, 2010Suffolk Group 3rd Wednesday of the month @ 6:30 pmMagnolia United Methodist Church1764 Wilroy Road, Suffolk, VAFor more information contact Willie Ann at (757) 539-0139.

September 20, 2010Elizabeth city Group3rd Monday of the month @ 2:30 pmFor group location and/or more information contact Melvin at (252) 335-9158.

September 21, 2010chesapeake Group 3rd Tuesday of the month @ 7 pmLifestyle Fitness Center at Chesapeake General Hospital 800 N. Battlefield Blvd., Chesapeake, VAFor more information contact Margie at (757) 482-3247.

September 22, 2010Southside Group 4th Wednesday of the month @ 3 pmMeyera E. Oberndorf Central Library (Libris Room)4100 Virginia Beach Blvd., Virginia Beach, VA

hAMpTON ROADS chApTER SELF hELp GROup LISTINGFor more information on any of the following groups contact (757) 490-9627 unless otherwise noted.

Find someone to chat with on the web at www.msworld.org

hELp & SuppORT


2010 ANNuAL MEMbERShIp MEETING REGISTRATIONRSVp by Wednesday, October 18

Name(s): ____________________________________________________________________

Address: _____________________________________________________________________

City:____________________________________ State:_________ Zip: ___________________

Phone: ______________________ Email: __________________________________________

m I will attend, my registration fee is enclosed. m I plan on coming early to attend the Social (no cost)

Registration fee: $15.00 per person (includes program and dinner). Please make checks payable to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. To request a scholarship, please call the chapter at 757-490-9627.

Mail registration and fee to:National MS Society, Hampton Roads Chapter760 Lynnhaven Parkway, Suite 201, Virginia Beach, VA 23452

VOLuNTEER SpOTLIGhT (continued)

Toll fREE nUmBER 1 800 344 4867 | 15

to supporting our walk, Forbidden City generously donated to the first annual Moscow Ballet Benefit Performance of the Great Russian Nutcracker that was held in December2009 at the Sandler Center.

Mei Ling believes she can contribute much more than fundraising. Our Walk MS radio sponsor, 94.9 The Point hosts a weekly show dedicated to community topics. When the chapter was invited to be guests of the show, we called on Mei Ling. She graciously volunteered to tell her story and to promote the event. But she’s not just a radio talent! Mei Ling jumped at the chance to appear on a Sunday morning TV news program with her Yorkie-Poo, Piper, to promote Walk MS and the Canine Costume Contest. Piper won for Cutest Costume that year!

Continuing to find ways to “Join the Movement,” Mei Ling joined the team of Movement Ambassadors. Movement Ambassadors are people who want to do something now to end MS and are passionate about engaging their community in the movement. They represent the National MS Society’s movement for a world free of MS by sharing their knowledge about chapter programs and fundraising events, as well as MS research and advocacy.

As a trained spokesperson for the chapter and Society, Mei Ling has the opportunity to increase the capacity of the chapter moving the Society closer to achieving the mission. She also plays a critical role in communicating the availability of vital chapter programs and services to people with MS and their families. In her short tenure as an ambassador, she has attended several health fairs and fundraisers to speak on behalf of the chapter.

This year, Mei Ling joined the Walk MS Planning Committee for our October 2 walk at the Peninsula Town Center and the October 3 walk at Mt. Trashmore. She has been instrumental in soliciting sponsorships and spreading the word!

We are lucky to have Mei Ling Perkins as a member of the Hampton Roads Chapter family! Come on out to Walk MS on October 3 at Mt. Trashmore to meet Mei Ling and thank her for her dedication to help create a world free of MS!

chApTER STAFF Sharon L. Grossman, MScIRChapter President and Chief Professional [email protected]

Robyn M. hirsch, MScIRPrograms and Services [email protected]

karla MccarraherOffice [email protected]

Michelle R. DerrVice President of Finance and [email protected]

Shannon R. RiceDirector, Community [email protected]

kathryn G. WhitlockDirector, Special [email protected]

A copy of our organization’s financial statement is on file with and available through the State Division of Consumer Affairs in the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, upon request.

NON-PROFITORGANIZATION

U.S. POSTAGEPAID

Norfolk, VAPermit #162

hampton Roads chapter

760 Lynnhaven Parkway Suite 201Virginia Beach, VA 23452

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NEW GREEN?At least at the National MS Society

it is! Help us “Go Orange!” by requesting the MS Connection

as an e-newsletter sent directly to your Inbox! It will be in .pdf format and will have all of the same information that

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Documents

Fall 2010 MSConnection