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Betaseron® Champions of Courage Program Announces New Grants to Individuals With Plans to Empower the MS Community
WASHINGTON, DC, October 11, 2004 – The Betaseron® Champions of Courage (BCC) program announces its most recent grants to support programs that will empower the MS community and provide tools to help people with MS better manage their disease. 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. Since the program’s introduction in 1999, the Betaseron Champions of Courage has awarded more than 40 grants to individuals with MS.
The newest grant recipients include Susan Zachary of San Antonio, TX, who will develop an interactive DVD to teach people with MS how to use their computers; Barbara Roehrig of Denver, CO, who will use her Betaseron Champions of Courage grant to support a series of monthly wellness programs and a CD of guided meditations called Coping Well; and Cindy Ray of Louisville, KY, who will work with Paws with Purpose to train assistance dogs for people with MS in her community.
“We are excited to be able to support individuals with MS who are not only successfully managing their own illness, but who are also dedicated to helping others,” said Eric Simons, chairman of the Betaseron Champions of Courage program. “We believe their innovative programs will support people with MS and encourage them to live their lives to the fullest.”
Computers Are Our Friends
Susan Zachary, 56, understands firsthand the value of online support. When she was diagnosed with MS in 1982, she felt isolated and alone. Living in a small, rural town, she had little access to information or support groups. She recalls crying tears of joy when in 1996 she visited an online support chat founded by Kathleen Wilson, President of MSWorld, Inc. Zachary quickly became Vice-President and Web administrator of MSWorld, Inc., overseeing the daily operations of an online network providing access to support and information for people with MS. “Being able to share experiences, ask questions and get information about MS can be more helpful than any healthy person can imagine. It is lifesaving to many,” says Zachary.
The new DVD that Zachary is producing will cover the basics of using computers in the most straightforward way. From turning on the computer, to using accessibility aids, setting up email, accessing chat and bulletin boards, and searching online for information, Zachary’s goal is to help people with MS take advantage of the support, information and community that can be found online. “We need to show people with MS that they can use their computers to get the help and resources they need – even if they have a disability. It is my passion in life to help people with MS,” says Zachary.
Coping Well with MS
Barbara Roehrig, 39, founded Coping Well in 2003 to provide a way for people with MS to receive useful information on a monthly basis to help them cope more effectively with their disease. Each session includes a guided meditation followed by a guest speaker who is a healthcare practitioner and experienced in a specific approach to helping people with MS. Lecturers have included a registered nurse from the Rocky Mountain MS Center, a speech/language pathologist, a physical therapist, a nutritionist, and others.
Roehrig was a triathlete and in excellent physical condition when she was diagnosed with MS in 1992. At first, she had difficulty accepting her diagnosis and tried to hide it from everyone except her closest family members. As her disease progressed, however, she realized that she could no longer conceal her condition. When the demands of her executive-level marketing job began to compromise her health, she decided to leave the corporate world and start her own marketing firm. Today, her business is thriving, and she is happily married with a three-year-old son. She is proud of how she has learned to cope with MS.
“I have become much better at accepting a condition that I cannot control and trusting in therapies that have proven effective,” says Roehrig. “I prefer to focus on the positive side of how MS has affected my life. Most importantly, I want my son to see me as someone who overcomes challenges with grace.”
Paws With Purpose
Cindy Ray, 57, is one of the founders of Paws with Purpose, a Louisville, KY organization that purchases and trains assistance dogs to help with daily activities, such as picking up keys, opening cabinet or refrigerator doors, and pulling a wheelchair. The BCC grant will cover costs for three puppies for people with MS in the Louisville area. It will take approximately two years for the animals to be trained and ready to work.
Ray worked as a substance abuse counselor before being diagnosed with MS in 1996. Now she is an artist, making sculptures from her old syringes or objects from her garage. She especially enjoys working with children and recently organized an art program with her chapter of the National MS Society called “MS’ing around” for children of people with MS. She brought broken toys, pipe cleaners, stickers and other objects and let the children create their own sculptures. “I love to inspire kids,” she says.
Ray uses a wheelchair to aid her mobility and has had an assistance dog of her own. Her dog is particularly helpful in church when she drops her bulletin. She is excited to be able to provide assistance dogs to members of her community. “The most important thing I want people to know is that you don’t have to stay home just because you have MS!” says Ray.
Betaseron Champions of Courage
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 |
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