MS CONNECTION NEWSLETTEROREGON CHAPTER · Lisa Roth, Chapter President ... MS Connection is published by: LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT ... and healing through diet, exercise, and

WINTER 2013 NATIONAL MS SOCIETY

OREGON CHAPTER

MS CONNECTION NEWSLETTER

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

03UPCOMING EVENTS + PROGRAMS

08MS & BALANCE: A NEW LOOK

10CONNECT WITH THE INFO YOU NEED

1510 WAYS TO KICK-START WALK MS

DOCTOR CHAN’SBIG WIN for MSFIRST BARANCIK PRIZE WINNER JONAH CHAN, PHD SETS SIGHTS ON MYELIN REPAIR

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Imagine that an already-existing medication for a common condition like headache or allergies could also be used to stop the nerve damage that appears to be the basis of disability in people with multiple sclerosis.

In the past, it would have taken years to test whether these drugs had such capability. But now, thanks to the work of Jonah Chan, PhD, Associate Professor of Neurology at the University of California, San Francisco and a former National MS Society Fellow, it’s possible to rapidly screen hundreds of thousands of existing drugs for such potential — and one promising medication is now

2 MS CONNECTION: WINTER 2013

We don’t know when the cure for MS will be discovered. We

DO know that it will ultimately come from highly trained scientists and physicians committed to this work. That is why the National MS Society invests in promising research and researchers, attracting the best and brightest minds to study MS in an effort to find that cure sooner rather than later.

Charles and Margery Barancik have provided an amazing opportunity to recognize, reward and honor devoted MS scientists with the Barancik Prize for Innovation in MS Research. Inaugural winner, Dr. Jonah Chan has a burgeoning career, supported by the Society, which has resulted in the award winning research described on our cover. His work – or the work of Brett Fling working at OHSU and featured in the interior pages - may one day translate into solutions for everyone with MS.

From its humble beginnings — funding six fellows in 1955 — the Society’s research fellowship program has trained more than 800 scientists, clinicians and medical professionals in the field of MS research. In fact, nearly every thought leader making breakthroughs in the MS field today received support from the Society early in their career. Your support helps make this work possible! Thank you!

Sincerely,

Chapter President

Board Members: Ronald Merryman, Board Chair Ralph Cole, Vice Chair Mike Pongon, Immediate Past Board Chair Nanette Reid, Board Secretary Michelle Waddell, Treasurer Lisa Roth, Chapter President Alisa Brake Stanley Cohan, MD, PhD Ryan DuChene Dina Glassman Rusty Grim David Kelleher Datton Khuu Robert Moore Brent Nagy Chad Rheingold Lee Shaver Michele Smeller Brie Stoianoff Lisa Welch Vijayshree Yadav, MD, MCR

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 MS 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 or contents of any product or service mentioned.

© 2013 National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Oregon Chapter

MS Connection is published by: LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

5331 SW Macadam Ave Ste 290Portland, OR 97239-3847

National Multiple Sclerosis SocietyOregon Chapter

3DEFEATMS.COM | 1-800-344-4867

UPCOMING in 2013/14—save the dates

EVENTS +PROGRAMS NATIONAL MS SOCIETY 1-800-344-4867 option 1 • defeatms.com

Webcast: Promising Research Underway to Protect, Repair & Restore Function to the Central Nervous System online at nationalMSsociety.org/webcast Thursday December 5, 2013 • 11 AM-Noon PST Speakers: Ben Barres, MD, PhD (Stanford University School of Medicine); Jonah Chan, PhD (University of California, San Francisco); Rhonda Voskuhl, MD (University of California, Los Angeles); and Timothy Coetzee, PhD (NMSS)

Teleconference: Eating Well, Eating Easy Thursday December 5, 2013 • 6:30-7:30 PM

Annual Meeting & Research Update: A Novel Therapeutic Approach to Repair the MS Brain DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Ballroom, Portland Saturday December 7, 2013 10 AM - Noon Speaker: Larry S. Sherman, PhD

Portland Seafood & Wine Festival Friday-Saturday, January 31-February 1, 2014 Oregon Convention Center, Portland

Day of Activism at Washington State Capitol Olympia, WA • Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Campaign for Oregon Seniors & People with Disabilities Advocacy Day Salem, OR • Wednesday February 5, 2014

Teleconference: Relationships & MS Thursday February 6, 2014 • 6:30-7:30 PM

MS Awareness Week March 3-9, 2014

Teleconference: Bowel & Bladder Issues with MS Thursday April 3, 2014 • 6:30-7:30 PM

Walk MS 2014 Saturday April 19: Portland, Bend Saturday April 26: Eastern Oregon (Heppner) & Southern Oregon (Central Point, Merrill) Sunday April 27: Vancouver, WA Saturday, May 3: Corvallis, Eugene, Salem

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LEARN MORE OR REGISTER TODAY AT MSROCKSTARS.COM

YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE A RUNNER TO BE A ROCKSTAR.


free EDUCATIONAL TELECONFERENCESJoin us from the comfort of your own home for these informative conference calls on living with multiple sclerosis. This series is made available through Chapters in the West Region of the National MS Society.

To register for each program and receive the toll-free call-in number., please call:

1-800-344-4867, option 1

SAVEthe DATE for2014 TELECONFERENCES

• February 7 – Relationships & MS• April 3 – Bowel & Bladder Issues with MS• June 5 – Top 10 Research Updates• August 7 – Stress & MS

OHSU MS CENTER 503-494-7661 ohsu.edu/ms/events

Living Brain Wellness with MS A unique, transformational program empowering people with MS to health and healing through diet, exercise, and stress reduction. • Portland, OR Thursday-Sunday • January 9-12, 2014 Speakers: Dennis Bourdette, MD; Lynne Shinto, ND, MPH; Vijayshree Yadav, MD; Kimberly Carson, MPH, E-RYT; Kristine Hanna, PhD; Alec Isabeau, DC; Doug Lisle, PhD; John McDougall, MD; Mary McDougall, RN; Angela Senders, ND Financial assistance may be available through the National MS Society, Oregon Chapter at 1-800-344-4867 Option 1 or [email protected]

Brown Bag Lunch Program Portland, OR • Friday January 10 11:30 AM-1 PM

CAN DO MS WEBINARS online at mscando.org

Coping & Adaptation Tuesday December 10 • 5-6 PM PST Speakers: Rosalind Kalb, PhD & Mandy Rohrig, PT, DPT

New Year, New Changes: Tips on Daily Living with MS Tuesday January 14 • 5-6 PM PST Speakers: Denise Nowack, RD & Ann Mulinix, OTR

DID YOU MISS a CALL?Access recent and all past programs: nationalmssociety.org/chapters/ orc/programs--services/ programs-in-the-west/index.aspx and click on Listen Here under Did you miss a call?

MS NAVIGATORS Ask an MS Navigator for help to navigate the challenges of MS. Find personalized answers to your unique needs, up-to-date information, referrals and practical resources.

1-800-344-4867 • [email protected] facebook.com/NavigatorMS

VOLUNTEERING IS FUN!

ALIGN YOURTALENTS WITH PURPOSE

FOR OPPORTUNITIES CONTACT:[email protected] | 503.445.8356

5DEFEATMS.COM | 1-800-344-4867

Individuals with MS can apply for help. Goods and services must fall within one or more of the following six categories:

• Respite Services (e.g. adult day care, chore services, short term home care, short term child care)

• Durable Medical Equipment (e.g. purchase and repair of DME, air conditioners and cooling devices)

• �Accessibility�Modifications� (e.g.�home�modifications,�auto�modifications�and�assistive�technology)�

• Transportation (e.g. to medical appointments related to MS, including mental health)

• Critical Short Term Needs (e.g. rent/mortgage, utilities, food assistance, meal delivery)

• Health and Wellness (e.g. occupational or physical therapy evaluations, incontinence supplies, counseling, some exercise equipment, therapeutic exercise class fees, massage, case management).

The National MS Society established its scholarship program 10 years ago, and it immediately became a source of great encouragement for families concerned that MS might put college out of reach. This last year, 680 awards totaling $1,156,225 were presented nationwide.

High school seniors who have been diagnosed with MS or have a parent with MS are eligible. Applications are evaluated on financial need, academic record, leadership and volunteer activities, a statement of educational and career goals, and letters of recommendation. Scholarships range from $1,000 to $3,000 and typically cover one year. Scholarship applications will be accepted beginning October 1, 2013 through January 15, 2014

For more information or to apply, visit: nationalMSsociety.org/scholarship or call 1-800-344-4867.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY

To apply, or for more information, contact:

The National MS Society, Oregon Chapter

1-800-344-4867, Option 1 defeatMS.com


RESEARCH

EXERCISE & THE BRAINBY BRUCE BEBO, PHD

Emerging evidence suggests that exercise doesn’t just keep us physically fit, it helps our brain function better too. Scientific presentations on exercise, rehabilitation and quality of life issues at the American Academy of Neurology’s annual meeting suggest this holds true for people living with MS too.

EXERCISE’S GOOD EFFECTSA small study by scientists from the Kessler Research Institute in New Jersey —supported by the National MS Society — found that 30 minutes of aerobic exercise done three times a week over three months improved memory and increased the volume of the hippocampus, a part of the brain involved with memory. These preliminary results will hopefully encourage further studies that will yield more definitive conclusions and maybe even recommendations.

Another study examined the potential of longer term aerobic exercise to build endurance in people with MS. This study involved 60 people split into two groups: people who experienced fatigue and people who did not. Both groups performed individualized endurance exercises using treadmills.

After six months, both groups showed improved

oxygen consumption. Those who started out with fatigue showed improvement in their fatigue scores, but it took at least nine months of the program to see that difference. So while you may not feel the effects of exercise at first, persistence can pay off!

EXERCISES FOR THE BRAINSome very interesting data illustrating how the brain reorganizes to adapt to MS damage was presented by a research team from the San Raffaele Hospital in Milan, Italy. This team looked at the impacts of a 12-week computer assisted course that focused on training to increase memory and attention (the course was previously reported to improve attention and executive thinking abilities). Using functional MRI, which allows a real-time glimpse of the brain at work, they found indicators that brain activity had increased in specific areas. This improvement appeared to persist at least six months after the training was completed.

Researchers from Milan and Kessler also reported that people with MS with more “brain reserve” (larger brain size) and more “cognitive reserve” (increasing the ability to withstand or postpone MS-associated decline in cognition with activities such as doing puzzles or playing music) were at lower risk for cognitive changes associated with brain lesions. Even when brain size is accounted for, those with more cognitive reserve appear to have lower risk for cognitive changes.

There’s nothing any of us can do about the size of our brains. But growing evidence suggests that

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RESOURCESFor more on cognitive issues and MS, visit nationalMSsociety.org/cognition. To learn more about exercise and MS, visit nationalMSsociety.org/exercise, or call 1-800-344-4867 to find out about exercise programs in the area.

people may be able to build cognitive reserve by engaging in enrichment activities (Words with Friends anyone?). It’s exciting to think that actions we can take, such as some mental and physical training, can actually alter brain circuits, improve brain activity and possibly help slow the progression of MS.

Summaries of the meeting can be viewed on the AAN’s website at abstracts2view.com/aan, or visit nationalMSsociety.org/research for an overview of MS-related research presented at the meeting.

Bruce Bebo, PhD, is associate vice president of Discovery Research at the National MS Society, and was previously a research immunologist focusing

on the influence of sex hormones on MS. He is a passionate Society volunteer, fundraiser and advocate, fueled in part by the fact that his mother has lived with MS for more than 30 years. Read more of Dr. Bebo’s research presentations at blog.nationalMSsociety.org

1. Gain skills and develop career-related experience: Get your feet wet while gaining hands-on experience.

2. Explore professional interests: You have many interests, where better to explore them than through an internship.

3. Network and make valuable contacts and references: Your contacts will be great resources when you begin future job searches.

For information, contact: [email protected] 503-445-8356

GET INVOLVED —INTERN WITH US

CHAPTER INTERN ALEXANDER TITUS


COVER STORY: FIRST BARANCIK PRIZE WINNER JONAH CHAN, PHD SETS SIGHTS ON MYELIN REPAIR continued

AN INTERVIEW WITH NATIONAL MS SOCIETY RESEARCH FELLOW BRETT FLING, PHD

MS & BALANCE: a NEW LOOK In July, 25 fellows began research or clinical training fellowships with funding from the National MS Society. One of these fellows is Brett Fling, PhD, who is focused on studying

undergoing a phase 2 clinical trial. If this trial is successful, the therapy could ultimately be beneficial for people with relapsing-remitting MS and progressive MS.

Because of this revolutionary research, Dr. Chan’s work stood out among 26 other nominees for the National MS Society’s inaugural Barancik Prize for Innovation in MS Research. The $100,000 annual prize is the largest award ever given to recognize MS research and is funded by the Charles and Margery Barancik SO Foundation.

Dr. Chan’s Barancik Prize–winning research has to do with repair and regeneration of myelin, a substance that insulates the body’s nerve fibers and is proven to be the destructive target of MS. As a recipient of the Society’s Harry Weaver Neuroscience Scholarship, which helped launch his research, Dr. Chan

had already developed cutting-edge methods of myelin repair or regeneration using naturally occurring cells in the nervous system. Since these cells are not always efficient at repairing myelin, Dr. Chan questioned whether one or more of the thousands of drugs that have been already approved by the FDA to treat a variety of diseases and conditions could also be used to repair myelin.

Through the use of a complex nanotechnology tool developed by Dr. Chan and his team to measure how effective a therapeutic compound is at myelin repair and regeneration, they have tested about 1,000 drugs and found promising results which have already moved into clinical trials.

National MS Society Chief Research Officer Timothy Coetzee, PhD calls Dr. Chan’s work “not only scientifically and technically compelling, but also greatly inspiring for the impact it could have on the lives of people with MS.”

DR. CHAN (TOP LEFT) AND HIS RESEARCH TEAM

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MS and balance with Fay Horak, PhD, an internationally renowned expert in how the brain controls balance, at Oregon Health and Science University.

What can you tell us about balance problems in MS? Dr. Fling: A growing body of work suggests that balance impairments in people with early stage MS are primarily the result of deficits in “proprioception.” Proprioception is the ability to determine your body’s position in space in the absence of vision. Imagine closing your eyes and touching your finger to your nose -- this is using your proprioceptive system. Proprioceptive information from the ankles is the primary sensory feedback we use to maintain our balance. Because MS affects the ability of nerves to conduct information, it is likely that problems with transmitting proprioceptive information all the way from the ankles to the brain (and back again) play a big role in deficits in balance control.

What kind of interventions might be helpful to address deficits affecting balance and mobility in people with MS? Training the proprioceptive system is a novel approach to improving balance. We are attempting to make these interventions interactive and engaging. For example, video games utilizing the Nintendo WiiTM Balance Board allow people to train their proprioceptive system while they are (hopefully!) having a little fun.

Please tell us about your personal connection to MS, and how this connection inspires your work. My mother was diagnosed with MS when I was a teenager and her sister was diagnosed just a few years later. Although both

have MS, they have dramatically different symptoms and issues, which always fascinated me. This has been a driving force behind my research and keeps me active and engaged in this field.

Your work seems to span highly scientific areas of MS research like neuroscience and imaging, but the results have great clinical impact on balance and mobility — how do you plan to combine these in your long-term goals? A variety of balance training interventions have been used in people with MS attempting to improve the three sensory systems —(proprioceptive, visual, and vestibular, or inner ear)-- that we use to maintain balance. One of the frustrating issues with intervention studies is that some participants improve their balance, while others do not, suggesting that the same balance interventions do not work for everyone. Successful rehabilitation in people with MS requires clinicians to identify the explicit deficits in their patients so that intervention approaches can be specific and effective. As an MS researcher, I want to use neuroimaging (such as MRI) to identify the specific structural and functional neural deficits underlying symptoms such as balance impairment so that we can provide individualized information for rehabilitation.

Please tell us how the Society fellowships are suited to help you fulfill your goals. This fellowship is an integral step towards achieving my overall research goal — to better understand the neural bases of sensorimotor impairments in MS. I believe there is an imperative need to develop rehabilitation approaches that are informed by this research.


LIVING WITH MS

CONNECT with the INFO YOU NEEDBY ????Ruth Sosa has been living with MS since she was 13 years old. Though the disease has progressed, Ruth continues to keep charging ahead, thanks to the support of her loving family. She and her husband Julio also credit the National MS Society for helping them to live well with this disease. Many years ago, the Sosas reached out to the National MS Society for information about resources and programs that were available for their family. An MS Navigator connected Ruth to doctors and other health care professionals knowledgeable about MS, and to Chapter sponsored programs that provided answers to her questions about symptoms and treatments. Throughout the years, Ruth and her family continue to work with MS Navigators, who have connected them to other families living with MS in their community and to a Spanish speaking support group Ruth can attend monthly. Ruth and Julio call an MS Navigator each time they need up-to-date information about treatments, research, support and available resources. They said, “With the National MS Society on our side, we feel that someone is with us along this long journey.” Finding answers and making decisions relies on having the right information at the right time. We have it right at your fingertips.

• Ask an MS Navigator for help to navigate the challenges of MS. Find personalized answers to your unique needs, up-to-date information, referrals and practical resources.

• Visit MS Learn Online—educational webcasts available anytime.

• Attend a local educational event or workshop to learn about wellness, symptom management, research and more.

• Join discussions, share experience and learn from others at MSConnection.org.

Stay informed and get connected! MSConnection.org | 1.800.344.4867

RUTH SOSA

11DEFEATMS.COM | 1-800-344-4867

LIVING WITH MS

THE CHANGE of a LIFETIMEBY DIANE DEVILLERS

After working 35 years in service to individuals with disabilities, I was diagnosed with MS. Some say it’s ironic and I say it was a prelude to my new life. I was forced to retire at 53 and a new world opened up for me.

All the years I spent working with people with disabilities and systems and the connections I made, are helpful for my life today. I wrote grants for hearing aids to civic organizations and for other special needs, and I assisted individuals to sign up for low income programs such as energy assistance. Once I retired, I started searching on line for agencies that could help me with my MS-related needs. One of my favorite activities, because it is so good for me, is swimming. I go swimming in a saltwater pool in Eugene. However, my trips to the pool were very limited until I became aware of the National MS Society’s Financial Assistance Program. I realized I could apply to the chapter to request funding for the aquatics fees and to my surprise, I received assistance. Swimming is really the only exercise that doesn’t trigger my back and I enjoy the social aspect as I swim with others. I‘d like to thank the National MS Society for helping me stay more active.

Life can take many turns. MS, even with the ups and downs, turned out to be a blessing. One day, I was going through some boxes and ran across my journals from the seventies and eighties. I realized the adventures of my life could be used as a background to fiction novels. I started writing and, within five years, have self-published three books — From the Waters of Coyote Springs, Felix and Eve and The Arrangement.

MS closed one door, but I have been able to find help when I need it and a new life filled with a passion for writing. Search for my books at Smashwords.com or Amazon.com in e-reader formats or your computer.

DIANE DEVILLERS

Learn More! Over 400 Videos & More

nationalmssociety.org/MSLearnOnline MS Learn Online is the National MS Society’s online educational series. Find videos, transcripts, and podcasts.


WAYS TO GIVE

A CONTINUING COMMITMENTBY HELEN MARIE RUSSON Despite Peach Robinson’s determination that multiple sclerosis would not frame her future, it has – in many positive ways. “Once her diagnosis sank in, Peach took immediate aim at MS and sought out as much information as she could,” explains her husband, Tom. “Since there were not many treatments in 1975, Peach turned to the Society for information.”

“I first joined a self-help group in Green Bay, Wisc., and before long my entire family was involved in Walk MS,” Peach remembers. By 1992, the team included Peach and Tom’s three sons along with the couple’s brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins and a grandmother – enough people that the Robinson family represented half of the volunteer force at the Appleton Walk MS site that year.

Three years later, the family set out to create the Green Bay Walk MS event to raise even greater awareness in the area. Peach joined the Board of Trustees for the Wisconsin area soon afterwards, and was named MS Mother of the Year for her ongoing fight against the disease.

Recently, Peach and Tom decided to create a legacy that would express their family values and continued commitment to finding a cure

for MS. In doing so, they joined the Society’s distinguished Lawry Circle, a program that recognizes people who remember the Society in their estate plans through a bequest, gift annuity or other deferred gift. Because the gifts represent an expression of lifetime commitment, the Lawry Circle has no minimum gift level and membership is for life.

“The Lawry Circle is the ultimate way to give back and sustain the funding for future researchers and educational programs,” Peach said. “Although there are many worthy organizations out there, the Society is one of the best and is very important to us. Being members of the Lawry Circle means that we are part of the cure, even after our lifetimes.”

Originally published in the Wisconsin Chapter’s MS Connection.

There has never been a more promising time to intensify your commitment to STOP disease progression, RESTORE lost function and END MS forever.

For information on including the National MS Society in your estate plans and becoming a Lawry Circle member, please contact: Lane Malone, Planned Giving Specialist [email protected] or 1-800-923-7727

PEACH & TOM ROBINSON

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YEAR-END GIVING Give to a cause you believe in while making your tax bite smaller by donating to the National MS Society, Oregon Chapter by December 31.

Talk to Your Accountant or Financial Advisor Charitable gifts made now may reduce what you owe in taxes.

Consider a Gift of Stock or Charitable Gift Annuity

Review your portfolio and consider transfer of a stock. Visit nationalMSsociety.org/giftofstock for details. A charitable gift annuity provides you with tax benefits and guaranteed payments for life, and also allows you to provide meaningful future gifts. For information, contact the National Giving Office at 1-800-923-7727 or [email protected]

Make a Long-Term Commitment Please consider a gift in your living will or living trust, which will help to support our mission well into the future. You have many choices such as a bequest of a fixed dollar amount, or a percentage of the estate. Another possibility is to create a trust, which would pay an income to an individual for life, with the remaining principle gifted. An easy way to make a lasting impact is to name the National MS Society as a full or partial beneficiary of your retirement plan or life insurance policy.

If you would like more information on giving, contact Dana at 503-445-8358 or [email protected]

Do it yourself fundraising is an opportunity for people in our Chapter area with a deep commitment to the MS cause, to raise awareness and critical funds for the MS movement in new and creative ways.

For more information, contact: Dana Voelker, Director of Development 503-445-8358 • [email protected] defeatMS.com, click on “Fundraising Events”

CONVERSACIÓN Y APOYO PARA PERSONAS VIVIENDO CON LA ESCLEROSIS MÚLTIPLE (EM)

La Sociedad Nacional de Esclerosis Múltiple ofrece una vez al mes un grupo telefónico, totalmente en español.

Nuevos participantes se aceptarán en todas las fechas. El segundo martes al mes Octubre – Junio 2013-14 Horario:11AM–12:30 PM

Para información o para inscribirse llame al:

1-800-344-4867, opción 3

CAFÉ con LECHE


RESEARCH STUDIES NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH clinicaltrials.gov and type in search bar: “MS Oregon” or “MS Washington”

NMSS, OREGON CHAPTER defeatMS.com and type in search bar: “Local Studies”

NORTH AMERICAN RESEARCH COMMITTEE ON MS narcoms.org

FEATURES MSConnection.org, the MS movement’s online community has features for people who would like to connect, share stories, gain insights, and support and inspire one another. Visitors to the site will find:

• Live chat rooms• Tips from MS experts• Online support groups• Customized recommendations

based on profiles• Enhanced connection opportunities

STOPPING THE DISEASE RESTORING WHAT’S BEEN LOST ENDING MS FOREVER

NOW we stand together to raise $250 million to fuel MS research - so no opportunity will be wasted. A year-end gift to MS research brings hope to everyone living with MS, by funding

critical research to stop disease progression, restore lost function and end MS forever.

DONATE TODAY: nationalMSsociety.org

IMPORTANT AFFORDABLE CARE ACT RESOURCES nationalmssociety.org/ACAKickIn healthcare.gov Oregon Health Exchange:

coveroregon.com Washington Health Benefit

Exchange: wahbexchange.orgOr contact 1-800-344-4867 Option 1, or [email protected]

& CLINICAL TRIALS

15DEFEATMS.COM | 1-800-344-4867

WALK MS

10 WAYS to KICK START WALK MSBY ANDREA KOFOED

Walk MS 2013 was AMAZING! But the one thing I heard more than anything else was, “next year I’m starting earlier!” We’ve all been there, we understand life doesn’t stop for Walk MS. So, HOW do you start earlier? Here are the Top Ten things you can do before February to kick-start your Walk MS efforts.

1. Register at walkMSoregon.com! The dates are the set, the website is ready, all we need is your commitment for 2014!

2. Update your personal page. Did you know participants who update their personal pages raise more money than those who don’t! Share your story, photos and let your voice be heard!

3. Set a goal. Try to surpass how much you raised last year. If this is your first year, set

your goal to raise $100 and earn a Walk MS t-shirt.

4. Update your Participant Center’s URL. It is easy to share the website when it has your name in it! (Call me if you need help!)

5. Thank your 2013 donors for their support. Let them know that because of them and others around the country, more than $2.7 million came back to Oregon to support eight local scientific studies to find a cure for MS.

6. Use the holiday get togethers and cards to spread the word. Whether at a party or sending a card, tell people about what you’re doing to support MS and how THEY can be a part of it.

7. Make a New Year’s Resolution. Set a fitness goal with a purpose — get fit, AND make a difference to those living with MS.

8. Call or Email ME! I have a plethora of fundraising knowledge and am here to help you be successful.

9. Get creative! What better way to start your fundraising than by reading the 100 Fundraising Ideas on the Walk MS website.

10. DON’T give up!

Our goal is to raise $640,000 to defeat MS! Help reach that goal through your participation in Walk MS and impact the lives of people with MS in our community!

For information about Walk MS 2014, contact: Andrea Kofoed, Walk MS Manager 503-445-8342, [email protected]

SAVE the DATES Saturday, April 19: Portland, Bend Saturday, April 26: Eastern Oregon (Heppner) & Southern Oregon (Central Point, Merrill) Sunday, April 27: Vancouver, WA Saturday, May 3: Corvallis, Eugene, Salem

WALK MS 2014BE INSPIRED. GET CONNECTED. WALK MS

walkMSoregon.com 1.503.445.8342

REGISTER OR VOLUNTEER

NON-PROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDPERMIT NO. 737PORTLAND, OR

Address or Email Change? Call us at 1-800-344-4867

BIKE MS: WILLAMETTE VALLEY » AUGUST 1-3, 2014 » 6 ROUTES » FROM WESTERN OREGON UNIVERSITY IN MONMOUTH

Get involved! Register for the ride, bring a friend, volunteer. Registration is $30

until December 31. Your involvement moves us closer to a world free of MS.

BIKEMSOREGON.COM OR CALL 503.445.8358

Register Today

2014

5331 SW Macadam Ave Ste 290Portland, OR 97239-3847

National Multiple Sclerosis SocietyOregon Chapter

MS CONNECTION NEWSLETTEROREGON CHAPTER · Lisa Roth, Chapter President ... MS Connection is published by: LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT ... and healing through diet, exercise, and

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