First MS Day

World MS Day GOAL:
50,000 letters to Congress
by midnight on
Wednesday, May 27th!

Demand quality, affordable health care for Americans living with MS.

Click here to send a letter to your elected officials:

Rep. Harry Mitchell
Sen. Jon Kyl
Sen. John McCain


May 27 marks the first-ever World MS Day and over 100 nations around the globe are joining together to build awareness for multiple sclerosis. One of the greatest overarching needs around the world is for quality, affordable health care to ensure all people with MS can lead a life of possibility, dignity and fulfillment.

Here in the United States, for the first time in nearly 17 years Washington leaders appear serious about fixing our broken health care system. Tell Congress that now is the time to fix health care. Help us reach our goal: 50,000 letters to Congress by midnight on May 27th!

We have an incredible opportunity to make our voices heard in support of accessible, affordable health care coverage for all. Our legislators need to know that it is time for the right reforms right now.

As I write this, National MS Society staff and volunteers are meeting with members of Congress about the Society's health care reforms principles. These principles need to be incorporated into new health care policies if people with MS are going to be able to move forward with their lives.

In honor of World MS Day, let us unite to support these efforts with a national wave of grassroots action. Will you help? Write your legislators and speak out for quality, affordable health care by midnight on World MS Day, May 27th.

Decisions your elected leaders are about to make will impact how we receive our health care for generations to come. We can't miss this opportunity!

Below is the set of health care reform principles developed by Society volunteers and activists. With your help, we can put these principles in front of our policymakers. They include:


Accessible health care coverage
Affordable health care services and coverage
Standards for coverage of specific treatments
Elimination of disparities in care
Comprehensive, quality health care available to all
Increased value of health care
Access to high-quality, long-term supports and services
Take action now - tell your legislators to create health care policies that work for people living with MS and their families.

If we can deliver 50,000 letters to Congress by midnight on World MS Day, we will send the message that we are united on behalf of all people affected by MS.

Thank you for standing with me at this important moment,



Scott Hanson
MS Activist, diagnosed in 1998

Vanity

Vanity is an often amusing thing. I'm 47 years old. You'd think I'd be past that.

I give myself a daily injection (my therapy is Copaxone). Do you think it bothers me to do the injection each night? Nope, not at all. Do you think that the needle bothers me? Nope, not at all. Do you think I have trouble remembering the routine? Nope, not at all.

I'm very blessed in that I have absolutely no reactions or side effects to the actual drug.

No ... do you know what I fume about?!? I fume because no matter how often I go to the gym ... no matter how flat my stomach actually is ... no matter what efforts I go to ... my stomach will always be less than perfect because of the injections.

Pitiful, huh?

Good

Today I ran and jumped and played with the dogs at the park.

Today I spent time with friends who allow me to be absolutely real with no worries about interpretation.

Today I had carrot cake.

Today I slept in an hour later than usual.

Today is barely half over and I have many moments left to spend.

Today is good and I am thankful.

Lingering

A month of busy-ness has flown by, my life continuing to adapt to the concept of being a student again. Work, home, kids, and now study fill my days and almost make me forget "it".

Until the day scheduled for the semi-annual testing rolls around. And then I am reminded in technicolor and panavision that indeed I do have a chronic illness - one that requires MRI's, dye injections, evoked potential testing, therapy evaluations. Thankfully, all appears well.

However, the frustration of the reminder lingers.