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Betaseron® Champions of Courage SM Announces Top Winners of The Decade of Achievement in MS Award
Honorees Make Extraordinary Contributions to the MS Community
Washington, D.C., November 3, 2003 – The Betaseron® Champions of Courage SM program announces the top 15 winners of The Decade of Achievement in MS Award. These individuals were determined to have exhibited extraordinary dedication to the MS community within the last 10 years, and include people with MS, their friends and family, companies, and members of the MS medical community.
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Visit the Decade of Achievement in MS Section to learn more about our Winners.
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The award commemorates the 10th anniversary of the availability of Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, Inc.’s Betaseron® (interferon beta-1b), and is sponsored by the Betaseron Champions of Courage, a program that supports people with MS who have inspiring goals, and who have made significant contributions to their families, community, or the lives of those affected by MS.
“These individuals stood out for their outstanding contributions to the MS community,” said Eric Simons, chairman of the Betaseron Champions of Courage Advisory Board. “From the husband who has been at his wife’s side for 50 years, to the doctor who herself struggles with MS and does telephone counseling with fellow patients, to the leaders in MS research who have dedicated their professional lives to unlocking the mysteries of this disease – each deserves special recognition.”
Award Specifics
The Betaseron Champions of Courage received more than 160 nominations for the award. All nominees received an award certificate, as well as a Decade of Achievement in MS Award t-shirt and a letter of congratulations from the Betaseron Champions of Courage Advisory Board. From these 160 nominations, 15 were chosen for an additional level of recognition.
The 15 top award winners received a plaque and a letter of congratulations from the Betaseron Champions of Courage Advisory Board. They also will have their story featured on the Champions of Courage web site, and in other materials. Top award winners are listed below.
- ACAC Fitness and Wellness Center, Charlottesville, VA
- Jerry Adam; Minooka, IL
- Barry Arnason, MD, Chicago, IL
- Dr. Doris Carson, Jacksonville, FL
- George Garmany, MD, Boulder, CO
- Douglas Goodin, MD, San Francisco, CA
- Tony Harbin, Jacksonville, FL
- Pat Kennedy, RN, Englewood
- George Kraft, MD, Seattle, WA
- Gilbert Lopez, Riverside, CA
- Brett Massingham, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
- Henry McFarland, MD Bethesda, MD
- Randall Schapiro, MD, Minneapolis, MN
- Art Smithey, Hurst, Texas
- Kathleen Wilson, Sarasota, FL
“These individuals have exhibited extraordinary dedication to improving the lives of those with MS,” said Mr. Simons. “The Decade of Achievement in MS Award is designed to acknowledge – and recognize – their contributions,” he added
About the Betaseron Champions of Courage
Funded by a grant from Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, Inc., the Betaseron Champions of Courage program provides grants to people who are coping successfully with MS and who have a project that will inspire others. Since the program was introduced in 1999, more than 30 individuals have received grants to underwrite motivating projects.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease that randomly attacks 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, therapies are now available that affect the 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 or the Decade of Achievement in MS Award visit www.championsofcourage.org.
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Sheila Marmion
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