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Betaseron® Champions of Courage Program Awards Grants to Six Individuals With Plans to Educate and Inspire
WASHINGTON, DC, April 26, 2004 – The Betaseron® Champions of Courage (BCC) program recently awarded grants to six individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) to help them achieve their goals and inspire others. The newest grant recipients include Martha Patt of El Cerrito, CA; Janet Marich of Munster, IN; Josette Marcellino of Des Moines, WA; Karen Henry of Brandon, FL; Ramon Sepulveda of Austin, TX; and Jami Hawkins of Columbia, SC. Since the program’s introduction in 1999, nearly 40 individuals have received BCC grants to underwrite motivating projects.
“We are excited to be able to support these individual’s efforts to help people with MS and increase understanding about this disease,” said Eric Simons, motivational speaker with MS and chairman of the Betaseron“ Champions of Courage program. “We hope their stories will encourage others to do the same.”
From Jewelry to Labyrinths – Champions Help Others Manage MS
Yoga instructor Martha Patt, 46, of El Cerrito, CA will produce a yoga video and DVD for people with MS. The video will demonstrate yoga postures and adaptations for ambulatory and non-ambulatory people with MS. A student of yoga for 20 years, Patt currently teaches yoga through the National MS Society and has received two BCC grants to organize yoga workshops for people with MS in Illinois and Colorado.
Janet Marich, 55, of Munster, IN, will organize an animal-assisted therapy program for people with MS. In her professional career with a local mental health organization, she managed similar programs to help children with emotional disorders. She believes that her program for people with MS will help to improve participants’ self-worth and reduce feelings of depression. She will begin with five volunteer handler/dog teams and provide services to twelve program participants over a one-year period.
Josette Marcellino, 44, of Des Moines, WA, received a grant to assist her in distributing her handcrafted MS Awareness jewelry to others with MS. A mother of four teenagers, Marcellino was diagnosed in 2002. Feeling fatigued, depressed and overwhelmed, she sought to regain a sense of normalcy in her life. Hesitantly at first, she began creating jewelry reminiscent of the seashore. Designed with blue glass and beads, the jewelry also incorporates the MS Ribbon of Hope (which was designed by Champion Linda Chance). Creating necklaces and bracelets has helped Marcellino reclaim her identity and renew her sense of purpose.
Karen Henry, 46, of Brandon, FL, will organize a pool therapy program at the Brandon Family YMCA for persons with MS. Her grant will cover costs for twice-weekly classes for one year for her MS community. Henry believes the program will continue after the grant expires with support from the YMCA and the National MS Society.
Ramon Sepulveda, 50, of Austin, TX, received a grant to help defray travel expenses to run marathons. Sepulveda, who received a BCC grant in 2002 to participate in the climb up Mt. Denali, plans to run as many as 12 marathons in 12 months, beginning in the fall of 2004. “I run to encourage others who have MS to reach out and grasp their own dreams. This is something I can do to show others that maybe they too can do more,” says Sepulveda.
Jami Hawkins, 47, of Columbia, SC, will use her BCC grant to help build a handicapped-accessible labyrinth in downtown Columbia. A labyrinth is an art form that invites walking and meditation and may have long-term health benefits including reducing anxiety, lowering blood pressure and reducing chronic pain. There will be a permanent plaque located in the labyrinth acknowledging the BCC grant.
Betaseron 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 support their inspirational activities. To apply for a grant, individuals must be taking the MS medication 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 accepted on an ongoing basis and are reviewed twice per year.
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.
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Contact: |
Liz Garman Betaseron® Multiple Sclerosis Champions of CourageSM Telephone: 202/363-3378 E-Mail: info@championsofcourage.org |
