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Kathleen Wilson of Eugene, Oregon Receives Decade of Achievement in MS Award
Honoree Makes Extraordinary Contributions to the MS Community
Washington, D.C., February 9, 2004 – The Betaseron® Champions of Courage SM program announces that Kathleen Wilson, 46, is one of the top 15 winners of The Decade of Achievement in MS Award. Kathleen and her fellow honorees 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.
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.
Kathleen, an artist who holds Master’s Degrees in both Fine Arts and Mental Health Counseling, was diagnosed with MS in 1988. She is founder and president of MSWorld, Inc., a nonprofit, online, MS support network, offering scheduled chats, a resource library, message boards and an award-winning online magazine. Kathleen formed the organization to help end the isolation that people with MS experience and to help them find the resources, information and support necessary to manage symptoms and improve the quality of their lives. MSWorld received a Betaseron Champions of Courage grant in 1999 to support its ongoing work.
“Kathleen has used her considerable talent to help people with MS connect with others and reestablish their lives,” said Eric Simons, chairman of the Betaseron Champions of Courage Advisory Board. “MSWorld plays a vital role in the MS community. We are grateful to Kathleen for her ability to turn her unique vision into a reality that improves the lives of everyone touched by this disease.”
MSWorld: “Wellness is a State of Mind”
Kathleen started MSWorld in 1996 while recovering from a severe relapse of the disease which had forced her into a wheelchair and out of her fast-paced career in advertising. Wanting to reach out to others, and too fatigued to attend real support group meetings, she went online to look for a community. When she found nothing satisfying, she decided to form her own online chat room.
“I needed a room that was positive, hopeful, informative and fun,” says Kathleen. MSWorld has since grown from a single chat room into a worldwide network helping hundreds of thousands of people to gain access to information and support to help them cope with MS. In 2001, MSWorld became the official chat and message board provider for the National MS Society.
Kathleen was nominated for a Decade of Achievement in MS Award by fellow MSWorld volunteer Susan Zachary. Susan writes, “Kathleen’s selfless dedication and gentle leadership have helped hundreds of thousands of people living with MS from around the world. She encourages each of us to meet our life’s potential.”
“This is by far the most rewarding endeavor of my life, and as I give, I receive ten-fold,” says Kathleen. “MSWorld is a growing community of caring and wonderful individuals; it is such a privilege to be a part of it all.”
MSWorld: “The VisionWorks Team”
As MSWorld grows and reaches out to millions of people worldwide, a team of experts has come together to help secure MSWorld’s future while creating innovative Quality of Life Initiatives. The VisionWorks team seeks other collaborative partners who work in the spirit of Doing the Right Thing to help people help themselves. To contribute to this revolutionary initiative that works towards empowering people call 1-877-MSSUPPORT.
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 www.championsofcourage.org web site, and in other materials.
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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Contact: |
Sheila Marmion
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