Bike MS: Ride the Rhode
Alexia Dedeus, who graduated from Blackstone Valley Tech this spring, is the recipient of a $1,000 National Multiple Sclerosis Society Scholarship Award, presented annually to select students across the country who are pursuing a college or technical school education, and who have a parent with MS or who themselves have MS. Dedeus, whose mother has MS, plans to attend the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. In Massachusetts there were 12 MS Scholarships awarded this year totaling $17,000. MS Scholarships are funded through individual and corporate donations, and by fundraising events such as Walk MS, Bike MS, and the MS Challenge Walk.
“Whether my mom is having a good day or a bad day, she is an everyday inspiration of mine,” Dedeus said. “Through her, I received my strong ethics of hard work and motivation.”
MS can take a terrible toll on a family, emotionally and financially. The economic impact is substantial. Direct and indirect costs of MS, including lost wages (even for those with insurance coverage), are estimated at more than $70,000 annually per household. These challenges make funding a college education that much harder.
“MS shouldn’t stand in the way of an education,” said Lori Espino, the Society’s Greater New England Chapter President, “and we’re hopeful the MS Scholarship will be of help to the Dedeus family in covering some of the costs associated with college.”
The National MS Society established its scholarship program in 2003, and it immediately became a source of great encouragement for families concerned that MS might put college out of reach. This year, 800 new and renewal awards totaling more than $1.2 million were presented nationwide. Applications are evaluated based on financial need, academic record, leadership and volunteer activities, a statement of educational and career goals, and letters of recommendation. Applicants are also asked to provide a personal statement describing the impact MS has had on their life. Most scholarships cover one year and are non-renewable. Scholarships are awarded to students across the country and range from $1,000 to $3,000.
Information about scholarships for the 2016-17 school year will be available on the National MS Society Website on October 1, 2015. For applications or more information, call 1-800-344-4867 or visit www.nationalMSsociety.org/scholarship.
Multiple sclerosis, an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system, interrupts the flow of information within the brain, and between the brain and body. The progress, severity, and specific symptoms of MS in any one person cannot yet be predicted, but advances in research and treatment are moving us closer to a world free of MS. Most people are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, but teenagers and even young children can have MS too. At least two to three times more women than men are diagnosed with the disease, which affects more than 2.3 million worldwide.
The National Multiple Sclerosis Society mobilizes people and resources to drive research for a cure and to address the challenges of everyone affected by MS. To fulfill this mission, the Society funds cutting-edge research, drives change through advocacy, facilitates professional education, collaborates with MS organizations around the world, and provides programs and services designed to help people with MS and their families move their lives forward. To move us closer to creating a world free of MS, last year alone, the Society invested $50.2 million to support more than 380 new and ongoing research projects around the world while providing program services to over one million people.
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://www.MSnewengland.org, or 1‑800‑FIGHT-MS (344-4867).
press release
UPTON DAILY 