Washington, DC, May 30, 2002 – Patricia Miller, 57, of Tijeras, NM, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in 1997, recently received a Betaseron^® Champions of Courage grant enabling her to organize a community yoga class for people with this disease who are not able to afford class fees. Miller’s grant covers the cost of weekly classes for six months.

Miller was diagnosed at age 53 – older than most people with the disease. The toughest part of her diagnosis was having to leave her job as a vice president of an insurance agency. Work exacerbated her symptoms including fatigue and cognitive difficulties. Among other problems, she had a hard time remembering words and could no longer perform more than one task at a time.

MS Can’t Keep Her Down

One of the ways Miller copes with her disease is to remain physically active and to adapt activities to her limitations. Miller loves the outdoors and before MS enjoyed competitive volleyball, jogging, aerobics, and cross-country skiing. Today, she is just as active, but does it differently: for example, skiing is now done the adaptive way, where she traverses the hill in a sled aided by an able-bodied skier with tethers. Housework is done sitting down. Because she can’t stand or walk much distance unaided, Miller says she uses "every device known to man – cane, walker, scooter. With my tools, I can do what ever I want. I am not in a wheelchair – I use a wheelchair to do what I want to do!" she declares.

Miller has studied yoga for three years and credits her daily exercises with helping her to stay limber, active and calm in spite of the anxiety of MS. But while she was reaping the benefits of yoga, others with MS in her community were unable to because of the cost. This inequity disturbed her, so Miller did something about it. She contacted a local yoga instructor trained in teaching people with MS who agreed to offer classes at a reduced rate. Then she applied for and received a grant from the Betaseron^® Champions of Courage program to cover the cost of classes.

"It was so neat to see 12 people in the room for the first class," recalls Miller. "There were three walkers, five wheelchairs, one cane – we all used what we needed to get there."

Champions of Courage

Funded by a grant from Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, Inc., the Betaseron^® Champions of Courage program recognizes the accomplishments of people with MS and provides grants to help them achieve their goals and inspire others. "Patricia sets such a positive example of how living with MS, while filled with frustration, can at the same time be rich and rewarding," said Eric Simons, motivational speaker with MS and chairman of the Betaseron^® Champions of Courage program. "We are honored to include her as one of our Champions."

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. Though no cure yet exists, there are now therapies available that can impact underlying disease course as well as manage symptoms. MS affects more than a third of a million people in the U.S. alone, with someone being newly diagnosed virtually each hour.

For more information about applying for a Betaseron^® Champions of Courage grant, visit www.championsofcourage.org, or call 1-202-363-3378.

Patricia Miller’s yoga class meets at “A Time to Relax” yoga studio, 11603 Menaul Blvd., Albuquerque, NM, from 12 Noon to 1:15 every Monday through September 30, 2002. For more information call 505/281-7442. The class is presently full, but she keeps a waiting list.