Local Recipient of ‘CHAMPIONS OF COURAGE’ Grant Will Continue to Advocate for Better Health Care
Washington, DC, July 17, 2000 – Cindy (Cutter) Olsen, a Duluth resident who has battled multiple sclerosis (MS) for more than a decade, recently received a Betaseron® Multiple Sclerosis Champions of CourageSM grant, in recognition for her tremendous accomplishments, despite this often disabling disease. Cindy will use her grant to continue working with elected officials to lobby for health care reform and the rights of people with disabilities.
The Betaseron® Champions of CourageSM program recognizes the accomplishments of people with MS and provides grants to help people with MS achieve their goals and inspire others.
"Cindy's work is helping to improve the lives of people with MS and all people with disabilities," commented Eric Simons, motivational speaker and chairman of the Betaseron® Champions of CourageSM Board. "Her can-do attitude is an inspiration to us all."
An Advocate for Better Health Care
When Cindy was diagnosed with MS 10 years ago, she knew she faced a choice. She could sit around and worry about her health care benefits and complain about the system. Or, she could do something more productive.
Cindy chose the positive route, and for nearly a decade has lobbied for health care reform and the rights of people with disabilities. For the past five years, she has traveled to Washington, DC to speak with Georgia representatives about important health care legislation.
Cindy’s Betaseron® Champions of CourageSM grant will enable her to continue traveling to Washington to work with Representative Charles Norwood (R-GA) to help generate support for a bi-partisan managed care reform bill designed to protect patients’ rights. She also is supporting a bill to provide a meaningful prescription drug benefit in Medicare.
"I have found that ongoing relationships are the key to getting our representatives’ ears and also to build credibility," says Cindy. "Many times the representatives know of no individuals with MS. I think we need to talk a great deal more to our representatives until they understand that individuals with MS will be in the position to contribute to society for a much longer period if we are assisted with coverage."
Cindy feels having MS has altered her life in ways she would never have imagined. "I have a much stronger sense of who I am, along with great strides in growth. I think you can choose to spend your energy in a negative or positive way. I have chosen to work on issues that can better the lives of those of us with disabilities."
About the Betaseron® Multiple Sclerosis Champions of CourageSM Program
Funded by a grant from Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, Inc., the Betaseron® Multiple Sclerosis Champions of CourageSM program provides grants to people taking the MS medication Betaseron® who have demonstrated unique courage or initiative in overcoming MS. To apply for a grant, individuals must be taking Betaseron®, describe their community service activities, and outline how they will use a grant to inspire others. Applications can be obtained by visiting www.championsofcourage.org, or by calling 1-202-363-3378. Applications are reviewed three times per year: in February, June and October.
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a disease that randomly attacks the central nervous system, affecting the brain and spinal cord, wearing away control over the body. Symptoms may range from numbness to paralysis and blindness. No cure exists; however, therapies to treat symptoms and reduce the number and severity of attacks are available. MS afflicts up to 350,000 people in the U.S.
