Local New York mobility dealer, 101 Mobility® Rochester, recently teamed up with the Upstate New York National Multiple Sclerosis Society to find out how they could do something about multiple sclerosis. Together, the non-profit and mobility dealer designed a contest. 101 Mobility® Rochester donated a Golden Buzzaround Lite Scooter and the Upstate NY National MS Society spread the word about this contest, making it open to anyone with MS. The organization received a letter from a woman named Stephanie, whose honest account about the obstacles in her life led her to win a prize that would allow her to regain a bit of the freedom and ease of daily life that so many of us take for granted.
Read Stephanie’s letter below:
I feel the Golden Buzzaround Lite Scooter from the 101 Mobility® giveaway contest would be a valuable addition to my life. My name is Stephanie. I am forty years old. I have two children, nine and twelve years old. My husband, Francis is battling stage four prostate and bone cancer. He has always been my biggest helper. My Multiple Sclerosis has begun to worsen and is definitely affecting my mobility, and worse yet – my freedom. I have always been a very independent person. My children deserve to have me be able to keep up with them. The scooter would help me to do that as much as possible. That would definitely increase the quality of my life. The only time lately that I haven’t felt dependent and helpless is when I get to drive the scooter in Wal-Mart to do my shopping.
At first I was mortified to drive it. Then, when I got my sense of freedom back, I realized what a difference a scooter could make in my life. I will keep this short and sweet. I believe the best thing I can say is that right now I’m in a time in my life when I am not only at battle with one life-changing disease, but two – my Multiple Sclerosis and my husband’s terminal cancer. Getting some of my freedom back would be a huge help. I really need this at this point my life. – Stephanie
What is Multiple Sclerosis (MS)?
Multiple sclerosis is also known as MS. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Multiple Sclerosis is a chronic and unpredictable disease of the central nervous system. MS affects the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves.
Multiple sclerosis is essentially the result of our body’s nerve impulses being slowed down or stopped. The nerve impulses send signals to our muscles, bones and other tissues telling us to walk, talk, run, jump and more. In MS, inflammation occurs in the myelin sheath – the protective covering that surrounds nerve cells — causing nerve damage.
Researchers are unsure of what triggers the inflammation that results in the repeated nerve damage seen in MS patients. Studies indicate that MS may be caused by genetic factors, environmental factors or a combination of both.
Who has MS?
More than 2.1 million people around the world live with Multiple Sclerosis. Multiple Sclerosis (MS) affects women more than men. The disorder is most commonly diagnosed between ages 20 and 40, but can be seen at any age. Most people with MS have mild cases, but there are some people with MS who lose the ability to walk, write or speak.
What is the National Multiple Sclerosis Society?
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. MS stops people from moving. The MS Society exists to make sure it doesn’t. The Society also helps people affected by MS by funding cutting-edge research, driving change through advocacy, facilitating professional education, and providing programs and services that help people with MS and their families move their lives forward. To learn more, click here.
http://www.nationalmssociety.org/about-multiple-sclerosis/what-we-know-about-ms/what-is-ms/index.aspx
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/multiplesclerosis.html
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/multiple_sclerosis/multiple_sclerosis.htm
http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/multiple-sclerosis/overview.html
