The one thing every family deserves

Every week, while most of us go about our daily lives, 200 more families are turned upside down by a MS diagnosis. That's 200 too many. Even one is too many. Thanks to generous supporters like you, cutting-edge research is advancing. Families are receiving essential support and resources. But, we can do even more. Can I count on you to make a gift today? Only with your help can we stop MS and give families the tools to deal with the realities of living with this disease. Together we can make a difference for the families of today—and of tomorrow. I hope I can count on you to make a donation now. Sincerely, Katharine George National Senior Director of Database Marketing National MS Society

One More Chance: Help Push Disability Rights Treaty Over the Finish Line

You have received previous alerts urging you to contact your Senators to support the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and many of you have responded. Without your hard work, the CRPD would not have made it through the Senator Foreign Relations Committee on July 26th--the 22nd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)--with a bi-partisan vote and it would not have the strong bipartisan support it has today. Thank you for your hard work in getting the CRPD where it is today! We need your help again, even if you’ve already taken action – please keep reading and take action today! Now we need your help to finish the ratification process. The CRPD is an international disability treaty that essentially takes the ADA international. It affirms the same values as the ADA including equality, independence, and dignity for all persons with disabilities. The treaty has been signed by the President, transmitted by the President to the Senate, passed through the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and now the final step towards ratification is a full vote on the Senate floor. Last week, before leaving for recess which lasts until the election, debate on the Senate floor signaled the intention of the bipartisan champions to bring the CRPD to a vote during the lame duck session—the time after the November election and before the new Congress is convened in January. The bipartisan group of champions includes: Senators McCain (R-AZ), Durbin (D-IL), Kerry (D-MA), Barrasso (R-WY), Harkin (D-IA), Udall (D-NM), Moran (R-KS), and Coons (D-DE). We’re asking for your help, again, in order to get through the final stages of the ratification process. While your Senators are home, they need to hear that this treaty is important to you. Please click here to email you Senators while they are home and ask them to commit to vote yes on the CRPD! This grassroots effort will hopefully line us up for a strong floor vote once Congress returns for the lame duck session. Thank you, once again, for your help!

The one thing every family deserves

Dear Stephen, For many families, a diagnosis of MS can change everything: Daily activities become increasingly challenging. Children carry adult-sized responsibilities. Family milestones are cut short—or missed altogether. But you can help us change all that. The good news is that research is advancing faster. Families are receiving more resources and support than ever. But we can't stop now. Every day and every dollar gets us one step closer to stopping MS and changing lives. Will you join the movement by making a donation today to support families and move us closer to a world free of MS? With your help, we can end MS forever, ensuring that one day every mom, dad, and grandparent will be there for all of life's milestones. Now that's a happy memory. Sincerely, Krista Asteriadis Byers Associate Vice President of Individual Giving National MS Society P.S. The Society understands that every person's situation and financial abilities are different. If you or a loved one are living with MS and need help, please visit this toolkit for valuable family resources. Your gift directly helps: fund cutting-edge research to end MS, provide resources and support to families, protect future generations from the uncertainty of MS National MS Society | View as Web page | Legal Notice/Privacy Policy | Email Preferences | Unsubscribe MS stops people from moving. The National MS Society exists to make sure it doesn't. We are a collective of passionate individuals, moving together to create a world free of MS. JOIN THE MOVEMENT® Please do not reply to this email as we are unable to quickly respond to messages sent to this address. To receive information about living with MS, Bike MS® or Walk MS® — or to contact National MS Society staff in your area — please visit our Web site. Early and ongoing treatment with an FDA-approved therapy can make a difference for people with multiple sclerosis. Learn about your options by talking to your health care professional and contacting the National MS Society at www.nationalMSsociety.org or 1-800-344-4867. National Multiple Sclerosis Society | 733 Third Avenue | New York, NY | 10017 This message was sent to wrennstephen844@gmail.com . To ensure that you continue to receive our e-mails, please add us to your address book. ©2012 National Multiple Sclerosis Society. All rights reserved.

MSConnection Fall 2012

Table of Contents — Fall 2012 Issue MSConnection cover thumbnail Top Stories From the President McGraw Family takes leadership role in MS NOW Annual Meeting of Members & Conference News Coupon Bill Passes the Mass. House and Senate Make your vote count Programs Can We Talk? Motor Vehicle Cost Saving Tips Massachusetts Lifespan Respite Coalition Meet our Two Summer Fellows Computer Outreach Program 2012 Multiple Sclerosis Internship Program Caring Connections Café con Leche Program Highlights Caregivers Giving Care Research Research Advocate New Findings at AAN Meeting New Study on Marijuana Advocacy Federal Massachusetts Wanted: Ideas for change Government Relations Committee Volunteers Wanted! Insurance Coverage for Foot Drop walking devices MS Activist Blog Action Alert Health Care Reform Implementation Wanted: MS “Grasstops”! Improved Access to health care in rural areas Volunteers A Volunteer’s Perspective: What it’s like to volunteer in the office Fundraising More Ways to Give Bike MS A Great Turnout for the Eighth Annual MS Plane Pull Fashion Plates Boston Volvo 5K Road Race Climb to the Top Calendar of Events - see current calendar Classified Ads - see current listings Programs Catalog - see upcoming programs list National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Greater New England Chapter 101A First Avenue, Suite 6 | Waltham, Mass. 02451-1115 tel: 1 800-344-4867 | fax: 1 781-890-2089 | MSnewengland.org You are receiving this email because you chose to subscribe electronically to the MS Connection. To update your email preferences, including unsubscribing from MS Connection, please click the Unsubscribe link below. Early and ongoing treatment with an FDA-approved therapy can make a difference for people with multiple sclerosis. Learn about your options by talking to your health care professional and contacting the National MS Society at http://main.nationalmssociety.org/ or 1-800-FIGHT-MS (344-4867). Our postal address is: National Multiple Sclerosis Society 733 Third Avenue New York, New York 10017

Upcoming Event -- Making Connections: Annual Meeting of Members & Conference

Making Connections: Annual Meeting of Members & Conference Saturday October 20, 2012 9am-3pm This conference includes MS education, annual meeting of members, research update and a health & resource EXPO. Conference attendees will have the opportunity to visit the exhibitors to learn about health, recreation, independence products and services and to network and share experiences with others living with MS. Updates on MS research at all 4 sites. DCU Center, Worcester MA: The Hope of Emerging Therapies in Multiple Sclerosis with Elliot Frohman, MD, Director, MS Program, Dept. of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Augusta Civic Center, Augusta ME: MS & Rehabilitation: What’s New that can Help You? with Alexius E.G. Sandoval, MD, Rehabilitation Medicine, EMMC Executive Court Banquet Facility, Manchester NH: MS Research: What’s on the Horizon with Nicholas LaRocca, PhD, Director of Health Care Delivery and Policy Research at the National MS Society. The Essex, Essex VT: Mapping the Way: Directions in MS Research with Ann Cabot, DO, Concord Hospital Neurology Associates Registration deadline: October 12, 2012 Cost: $10 per person. This program includes lunch. Limit 2 adult guests per registrant. For persons with MS: When registering please indicate if you would like complimentary admission To register: Call 1-800-344-4867 Register online Because MS affects more than just the individual diagnosed, our programs welcome friends and family members unaccompanied by a person with MS. If you cannot attend but would like to vote by proxy, fill out the proxy form. This program is handicapped accessible This program not suitable for children. Adults with MS and their adult guests

New Pill Approved

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Federal Focus - September 2012

Register Today: National Forum on Disability Issues The Society is one of more than seventy organizations sponsoring the 2012 National Forum on Disability Issues—the only national Presidential candidate event focusing solely on issues specific to the disability community. The Forum will take place in Columbus, Ohio on September 28th. What can you do to help with this exciting event? First, you can urge the candidates to attend the Forum. President Barack Obama, Presidential Nominee Governor Mitt Romney and Ohio Senate candidates U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown and challenger Josh Mandel have all been invited, but it would really help for them to hear from the public about the importance of this Forum. Candidates will share their positions and answer questions on a wide range of disability issues including employment, health care, long-term services and supports, education, transportation, housing, and research. To read sample example invitations to the candidates and send your own, go to this site. Second, you can RSVP and listen to the live webcast on September 28th from 12:30 PM – 3:30 PM EST. It’s important to listen and get educated. Over 14.7 million Americans with a disability voted in the 2008 election. With one out of every five Americans living with a disability today, our voices will play a critical role in the 2012 election. Congress Returns Next Week after Recess For the past month, members of Congress have been home for August recess in their states. This is always an important time for constituents to meet with their members and particularly this year, since it’s an election year. MS activists across the country have been meeting with members, reminding them of funding priorities for the MS community, especially MS research funding and the Lifespan Respite Care Program that supports family caregivers. Check out some of the great pictures here and here. Thanks to the MS Activists who took time to schedule and attend these meetings—your advocacy is critical to our continued success! Upon their return to Washington next week, Congress will only have a few legislative days left before the election in two months. During this time, Congress is expected to vote on a ’Continuing Resolution’ that would keep the government and its departments and programs operating past the beginning of the new fiscal year (October 1) and into early next year. This means that final funding levels for our 2012 priorities--MS research in the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP), funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and funding for the Lifespan Respite Care Program--won’t be determined until after the new year. Lifespan Respite Grants Announced The federal Lifespan Respite grants were announced last week and are going to the following states: Alabama, Arizona, Iowa, Massachusetts, Nevada, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia. Iowa is a new grantee and the remaining states have received grants in the past, with the new funding serving to sustain and grow their programs. The Lifespan Respite Care Program was enacted in 2006 and provides funding for states to establish or enhance statewide systems that coordinate and increase family caregivers’ access to respite services. A recent National Alliance for Caregiving survey reminded us that while important to keep loved ones at home for as long as possible, caregiving can be strenuous. The survey found that caregivers of people with MS spend an average of 24 hours a week on caregiving responsibilities, 64% were emotionally drained, and 22% had lost a job due to caregiving. To help provide proper support and respite for family caregivers, MS activists advocate for appropriations for the Lifespan Respite Care Program every year. These grants are a product of their success!