WASHINGTON, July 26 /PRNewswire/ -- The Betaseron(R) Champions of Courage(TM) (BCC) program announced that Erin Morrow, 24, of Nashville, TN, has received a grant to develop a guidebook for young women with multiple sclerosis (MS). “Fighting MS with My Friends: A Girlfriend’s Guide to MS” will be a resource to help young women who, like Morrow, face the many challenges of living with MS. The book will feature personal accounts from women in Morrow’s MS support group, along with humorous anecdotes, recipes, and tips from medical professionals and other resources. “Fighting MS with My Friends” should become available in late 2006.
“We are proud to support Erin’s effort to create a down-to-earth guide for young women with MS,” said Eric Simons, Advisory Board Chairman of the Betaseron Champions of Courage program and a motivational MS speaker. “Erin represents a new generation of people in their twenties and thirties who were diagnosed early and live with MS. We hope her example inspires others to live their lives to the fullest.”
Fighting MS With My Friends
Diagnosed in 1999 as a freshman in college, Morrow’s first symptoms were numbness in her fingers and vision problems. Despite her disease, she was able to graduate from Appalachian State College in North Carolina on time, an accomplishment for which she credits family support, understanding from her professors and counselors, and top-quality medical care. Upon graduating in 2002, she moved back to her hometown of Nashville, where she works as the manager of corporate and community relations for the Nashville Symphony Orchestra. Morrow felt it was important to connect with other young people with MS, and when she discovered there were no support groups for young women, she formed her own. Through this circle of friends, Morrow discovered newfound strength, community, and the inspiration to write a book.
“My goal for this project is to create a ‘real-life’ book with facts, stories of how my friends and I have dealt with having MS as young adults, and tidbits to get people laughing and constructively on their way to living a healthy life with this disease,” says Morrow. “Having MS has affected my life in many ways. MS has made me reach inside myself for answers that I never knew were there.”
Betaseron Champions of Courage
Funded by a grant from Berlex Inc., co-developer of Betaseron and a leader in the field of multiple sclerosis therapy, the Betaseron Champions of Courage program recognizes the accomplishments of people with MS and provides grants to support programs that will empower the MS community and provide tools to help better manage the disease. Since its introduction in 1999, the Betaseron Champions of Courage program has awarded more than 40 grants to individuals with MS for initiatives ranging from awareness efforts and artistic endeavors to cross-country journeys.
To apply for a grant, individuals must be taking Betaseron, describe their community service activities, and outline how they will use a grant to inspire others. For more information or to receive an application, visit http://www.championsofcourage.org, or call 202/363-3378. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis and are reviewed twice per year. The next review of applications takes place in October 2005.
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.
Betaseron Champions of Courage
CONTACT: Liz Garman for Betaseron Champions of Courage, +1-202-363-3378,info@championsofcourage.org
Web site: http://www.championsofcourage.org/