ARKANSAS
M OV I N G TO WA R D A W O R L D F R E E O F M S
SUMMER 2011
Arkansans Spring into Step for 2011 Walk MS By James Black Arkansas was on the move in April, as residents laced up and stepped up to help persons living with multiple sclerosis.
The National MS Society’s 2011 Walk MS series sprang forward this spring with nearly 1,300 registered participants and hundreds of volunteers. Each weekend in April featured a walk within the state. Arkansas’ April weekend walks kicked off in Texarkana on April 2. Little Rock left no stone unturned for the MS mission and its walk on April 9. On April 16, participants made a big splash for Walk MS in Northwest Arkansas at Lake Fayetteville, followed a week later by the walk in Jonesboro. The month closed out with a warm welcome for walkers at the Hot Springs trek on April 30.
Walk MS team from Little Rock
Walkers and volunteers enjoyed family-friendly entertainment with plenty of great food and refreshments at each site. Continued page 3
Volunteer to Make a Difference PAGE 2
Save the Date for MS Family Day PAGE 4
Become an MS Activist Today PAGE 5
THE MSCONNECTION is published by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Arkansas, 1100 N. University, Suite 255, Little Rock, AR 72207. Little Rock Office 501-663-8104 Outside Little Rock 800-344-4867 Little Rock Fax 501-666-4355 Arkansas E-mail staff’s first name.last name@nmss.org Website www.msarkansas.org Vice President • Paula H. Cortner Development Manager • Lisa Brown Programs & Services Manager • Brooke Teeter Programs & Services Coordinator • Jessica Fisher Development Coordinator • Lindsay Wiley Strategic Philanthropy Coordinator • Jillian Briggs Newsletter Editor • Brandi Davidson
This Summer, Volunteer to Make a Difference in Someone’s Life Volunteering is always in season with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Volunteer opportunities are available for a wide range of talents and skills. Recent volunteer postings – for both one-time and ongoing opportunities – have included photographers for Walk MS and Bike MS events, MS Ambassadors, activists working in our local communities to raise awareness, volunteer recruiters, secretaries, cheerleaders at fundraising events and writers, to name only a few.
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 or contents of any product or service mentioned. ©2011 National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Arkansas
Volunteers at Walk MS Little Rock Volunteering with the Society is a great summer activity for individuals and families, as well as groups from schools, churches and companies. In fact, many corporations volunteer with the Society as a way to build teams. We welcome you and your time, talents and dedication in helping others living with multiple sclerosis. For information on volunteer opportunities near you, visit www.volunteerMS.org or contact the National MS Society directly at 1-800-344-4867.
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news
“We are so grateful for everyone who joined us this spring to make the 2011 walks a success,” said the Society’s Walk MS Manager Lisa Brown. “Walk MS is the rallying point of the MS movement. Across the state, our communities really came together to raise funds and celebrate Walk MS team from Little Rock hope for the future, a future where MS is a thing of the past.” Fundraisers’ fast feet fueled a fundraising feat of their own: as of June, the five Arkansas walks had collectively raised nearly $155,000! Three of the Walk MS sites exceeded their 2011 fundraising goals: Little Rock walkers raised nearly $83,000, Northwest Arkansas residents tallied more than $36,600 and Jonesboro hit their mark of $25,000!
Walk MS team from Northwest Arkansas
“This is such an incredible achievement,” said Brown. “It shows how truly committed our walkers are to helping everyone affected by MS.” Money raised through these annual events keeps MS research moving in Arkansas and across the United States.
In addition, the Society’s walks offer a low-impact way to generate high-impact results. Each site is accessible for everyone to take part, regardless of ability.
Many companies, schools and church groups team up to walk, building camaraderie and purpose along the way. Teams consist of at least Walk MS funds also support important programs four participants, which, considered another way, and services locally for thousands of men, means each Walk MS team is at least 8 feet long. women and children living with the daily Dates for the 2012 Walk MS events in challenges of multiple sclerosis, as well as for Arkansas will be announced soon online. their friends, families and colleagues. As one of Visit www.walkMSarkansas.org to learn how the Society’s signature fundraising events, Walk you can step up as an event participant, MS makes possible engaging and life-affirming programs such as Self-Help Groups, scholarships volunteer, sponsor or donor. for college-bound students impacted by MS, Strategic Communications Specialist James Black is financial assistance, career counseling, wellness an editor for MSConnection. He can be reached classes, advocacy efforts, assistance for those at james.black@nmss.org. newly diagnosed and much more. TOLL FREE NUMBER 1 800 344 4867 I 3
NEWS
Welcome New Staff Member, Jillian Briggs
• Jillian joined the Arkansas office as the Coordinator of Strategic Philanthropy in April. • Graduate of University of Arkansas, received a bachelor’s degree in communications. • She was a member of the Delta Delta Delta sorority and she participated on their philanthropic committee. • “Multiple Sclerosis is a disease that so many people are affected by. It’s a disease that is talked about less because the symptoms are not always life threatening and are different with each individual. I’ve always wanted a career
where I knew my hard work would go into something important and that helped people. The National MS Society helps many people not only in Arkansas but nationwide so I knew instantly that I wanted to be a part of the organization that truly makes a difference.”
Save the Date for MS Family Day Join us Wednesday, Sept. 21, at Discovery Place Children’s Museum in Texarkana, Texas for a family support program offered by the National MS Society. Meet other families living with multiple sclerosis. Garry Teeter, LPC, will speak about parenting with MS; children ages five to 14 years old will enjoy therapeutic activities and a discussion about having a parent with a chronic illness. Enjoy free play in the Discovery Place after the sessions. Call 1-800-344-4867 to register and email jessica.fisher@nmss.org with questions.
Self-Help Groups & Leaders Batesville Area – Looking for a co-leader!! Jamie 870-834-3604 Hot Springs Area Charles & Theresa 501-624-6033 Greater Little Rock Area Stuart 501-835-6776 Merten 501-223-8427 Northeast Arkansas Susan 870-239-2561 4 I JOIN THE MOVEMENT: nationalMSsociety.org
Springdale Area Jan & Hilde 479-445-6776 Rogers Area Susie 479-633-6694 Sandra 479-685-4383 Pine Bluff Area MyKenya 870-592-0055 Van Buren Area Byna 479-650-6415 Doug 479-462-9024
Become an MS Activist Today Do you want to do something about MS now? Join the Arkansas MS Action Network. Join the MS movement and sign up online to receive news and updates on health policies, help find solutions to MS issues, and take action on legislation that matters. Visit our advocacy page by navigating to www.MSarkansas. org and click on “Take Action” to learn about being an advocate. Have questions about MS Activism? Contact Jessica Fisher at 501-663-8104 or jessica.fisher@nmss.org.
news
State Legislator with MS activist volunteers Debbie Ray and Jennifer Godwin
Join us for the Dinner of Champions By Jillian Briggs The National Multiple Sclerosis Society: Arkansas is set to host the 2011 Dinner of Champions on Aug. 25. It will take place at the Argenta Community Theater at 6:00 p.m. in Little Rock, Ark. This year’s honorees are Shane and Debbie Broadway of Bryant, Ark., who will be presented with the Hope Award.
full cabinet, as well as the Governor’s Workforce Cabinet, an appointed group of state government leaders charged with creating 21st century jobs and skilled workers.
During Debbie’s professional career, she worked for three members of Congress (Bill Alexander, Ray Thornton and Vic Snyder), Arkansas Attorney General (now U.S. Senator Mark Pryor), a law firm in Little Rock (Wilson Law The Dinner of Champions is the signature event Firm) and finally a judge before retiring due to for the National MS Society and the Hope Award multiple sclerosis in 2009. is the highest honor bestowed by the Society upon an individual. It is given to those who have Shane and Debbie are active members and had a distinguished professional career, who are supporters of the National MS Society. MS is an involved with and committed to community issue that has hit close to the heart since Debbie affairs, who are leaders among peers and whose was diagnosed in 1991. Today, Debbie remains a personal lives are exemplary. source of encouragement and strength for Shane as he serves the people of Arkansas. Senator Shane Broadway is the interim director for the Department of Higher Education and has To purchase tickets for the event, contact been with the agency since January 2011. Jillian Briggs at 501-663-8104 or Broadway is a member of Governor Mike Beebe’s jillian.briggs@nmss.org. TOLL FREE NUMBER 1 800 344 4867
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RESEARCH
Research Round-Up – Society Funds $17.5 Million in New Research Projects This spring, the National MS Society announced its commitment of $17.5 million to support 50 new MS research projects as part of its comprehensive strategy to stop multiple sclerosis, restore function that has been lost and end the disease forever. This financial commitment is part of the Society’s nearly $40 million 2011 investment in cuttingedge research projects. The new projects support the comprehensive research goals outlined in the Society’s five-year Strategic Response, including an increased focus on understanding and stopping disease progression, supporting development of new therapies, identifying rehabilitation and other strategies to restore function, and getting more researchers and scientists focusing on MS. The projects include clinical trials testing whether vitamin D can stop MS activity; a clinical trial to evaluate whether a repurposed drug, phenytoin, can protect the nervous system from MS damage; investigations of mechanisms that may lead the immune system to turn against the nervous system; studies of natural molecules that may stimulate repair of the nervous system to restore function; studies exploring novel exercise programs to combat MS symptoms; and a study comparing the activity of several viruses, including Epstein-Barr virus, that may be involved in triggering immune attacks in people with MS, which may lead to clues to ending MS through prevention. Research Progress Takes Center Stage at Annual Neurology Meeting This spring, more than 10,000 researchers and practicing neurologists from around the world 6 I JOIN THE MOVEMENT: nationalMSsociety.org
gathered at the 63rd Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) in Honolulu. More than 500 presentations related to multiple sclerosis were given, including a presentation by the 2011 John Dystel Prize for MS Research recipient, Dr. Brian Weinshenker with the Mayo Clinic, related to his work and contributions toward understanding MS and the related disorder neuromyelitis optica; National MS Society grantees, and grantees from the MS Society of Canada, NIH and other agencies. Topics included a new trial in primary-progressive MS, advantages of early treatment and its long-term impact, treating sleep disorders, quality of life, MS genetics, the role of immune B cells, myelin repair, environmental risk factors and many more. A full summary of the AAN presentations can be found on the Research section of the Society’s website at www.nationalMSsociety.org. Study Finds No Link between Stress and Development of MS A new study found that stress does not appear to increase a person’s risk of developing multiple sclerosis. The study focused on two large groups of women in the Nurses’ Health Study, involving nearly 240,000 female nurses followed over time in the United States. The nurses were asked to report on general stress at home and at work, as well as recall physical and sexual abuse in childhood and as teenagers. The investigators, led by Trond Riise, Ph.D., with the University of Bergen in Norway, found that those who later developed MS did not respond significantly differently than those who did not develop MS in terms of their histories of general
levels of stress or physical or sexual abuse. The study’s authors concluded that their results do not support a major role of stress in the development of MS, but that more research is needed to definitely exclude stress as a potential risk factor for developing MS.
which determines the level of research pigment in the skin, acts as a filter of ultraviolet light, limiting the amount of vitamin D that can be produced by the body in response to sunlight. This study team previously reported that African-Americans tended to have a more aggressive course of disease than Caucasian Americans, were at higher risk for developing mobility impairments, were more likely to develop MS later in life, and were at higher risk for having symptoms restricted to the optic nerve and spinal cord. Research is increasingly pointing to a reduced level of vitamin D in the blood as a risk factor for developing MS. The National MS Society is funding several projects in this area, including a new clinical trial getting underway to test whether vitamin D can reduce disease activity in people who have multiple sclerosis. Positive Results Announced from Phase 3 Study of Oral BG-12
Biogen Idec announced that the experimental Research Shows Low Vitamin D Levels in oral therapy BG-12 significantly reduced the African-Americans with MS proportion of people with MS who experienced relapses in a two-year study of more than 1,200 According to a new study, African-Americans with people with relapsing-remitting MS. Although MS have significantly lower levels of vitamin D than its exact mode of action is not known, BG-12 is African-Americans who do not have MS, but these thought to inhibit immune cells and molecules levels are not linked to disease severity. Researchers involved in MS attacks on the brain and spinal concluded that larger studies of diverse populations cord. The results were announced in April. are necessary to fully understand the relationship of Data analysis is ongoing and the company MS and vitamin D. The study was conducted by expects to provide a full report at an upcoming Jeffrey Gelfand, M.D., Ari Green, M.D., and medical meeting. Another trial of BG-12 is colleagues at the University of California in San currently underway. Francisco with funding provided by a National MS Society/American Academy of Neurologist These and many other ongoing efforts by Clinician Scientist Award to Dr. Green, as well as a researchers around the world reflect the rapid research grant funding genetic studies in ethnically pace of MS research. For more information distinct populations to Jorge Oksenberg, Ph.D. on these and other research initiatives, visit the National MS Society online at African-Americans are at increased risk for having www.nationalMSsociety.org low vitamin D levels, possibly because melanin, TOLL FREE NUMBER 1 800 344 4867 I 7
Arkansas Chapter
National Multiple Sclerosis Society 1100 N. University, Suite 255 Little Rock, AR 72207 POSTAL CARRIER – DATED MATERIAL PLEASE DO NOT DELAY
Bike MS: Ride the Rock – New Name & New Route Introducing Bike MS: Ride the Rock 2011 with presenting sponsor Toyota – Sept. 10 & 11. NEW route along beautiful central Arkansas. To register or get more information visit bikeMSarkansas.org. Volunteers needed. Contact Lisa Brown at lisa.brown@nmss.org.
Save the Date August 25 – Dinner of Champions September 10 – Bike MS: Ride the Rock September 21 – MS Family Night