SUMMER 2013 ARIZONA CHAPTER
MS CONNECTION NEWSLETTER
ROCK THE WALK THIS FALL! PAGE 4
INSIDE 03 THIS ISSUE
JOIN THE MS TASKFORCE FOR ADVOCACY
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ADVANCES IN PEDIATRIC MS
UPCOMING LOCAL EVENTS
CALLING ALL WOMEN AGAINST MS
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MS CONNECTION: SUMMER 2013
A MESSAGE FROM OUR BOARD CHAIR
LET’S BE EXTRAORDINARY Multiple sclerosis is a challenge that we are committed to overcoming! This summer, I challenge YOU to be EXTRAordinary. To be extraordinary, we have to do EXTRA. Here are a few EXTRAORDINARY ideas. WALK
NMSS
BIKE
• CHALLENGE Try something new! There are new events in our chapter this year to raise money for our MISSION. I am personally looking forward to MuckFest MS [www.muckfestMS.org], a 5-mile obstacle course run, and TAKE YOUR INVOLVEMENT WALK NMSS BIKE CHALLENGE can’t wait to find some friends to come out and get messy for MS! TO THE NEXT LEVEL. JOIN IN
AS AN EVENT PARTICIPANT, VOLUNTEER, OR DONOR!
NMSS
BIKE
• Go beyond! Make your team bigger, give a little more, or do an EXTRA event. Cooks and Chords in Phoenix and Tucson are both a great way to not only sample some award winning food and music but also meet and mingle!
• Bring someone EXTRA along. Share your story about why you are committed to MS with someone new and invite them to join you! Share the names of CHALLENGE potential donors with our staff so we can recruit them into the cause too!
CONNECT WITH US ONLINE:
To achieve our goal to end MS forever, we must find ways to be extraordinary. I look forward to hearing your stories about what you’ve done to accomplish more!
arizonaMS.org
Blessings and here’s to an extraordinary summer!
facebook.com/arizonaMS twitter.com/AZMSSociety
On the Cover: Team Anderson enjoys West Valley Walk MS!
Terry Ashoff Johnson Chair, Board of Trustees
NATIONALMSSOCIETY.ORG | 1-800-344-4867
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ADVOCACY
CREATING AN MS TASKFORCE Our vision, like many of yours, is a world free of MS. But what if until then we were able to address many of the challenges faced by people living with MS in the state of Arizona? What could that look like? During the 2013 MS Day at the Capitol, MS Activists talked with their state legislator’s about this very idea and a movement was born. In the next legislative session, the Arizona chapter and MS Activists throughout the state are hoping to introduce a piece of legislation that would create an MS Taskforce. The purpose behind this initiative is to develop strategies that would identify and address the unmet needs of people affected by MS in Arizona, provide persons with MS greater access to various treatments and other possible therapeutic options, and more effectively utilize existing resources of state agencies
NATIONAL MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS SOCIETY Arizona Chapter 5025 E. Washington Street, Suite 102 Phoenix, AZ 85034 1-800-344-4867 Chairman: Terry Johnson Chapter President: Jim Elfline Editor & Design: Jessica Ishikawa Š 2012 National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Arizona Chapter
and community organizations. We hope to utilize these strategies in order to enhance the quality of life of people affected by MS in Arizona, maximize their productivity and independence, and address emotional, social, and vocational challenges. If you are interested in joining the MS Activism movement or learning more about the MS Taskforce Initiative, contact Program & Advocacy Coordinator Erika Edholm at 480-455-3959. Information provided by the Society is based upon professional advice, published experience and expert opinion. Information provided in response to questions does not constitute therapeutic recommendations or prescriptions. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society recommends that all questions and information be discussed with a personal physician. The Society does not endorse products, services or manufacturers. Such names appear here solely because they are considered valuable information. The Society assumes no liability for the use or contents of any product or service mentioned.
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MS CONNECTION: SUMMER 2013
A COMMUNITY COMING TOGETHER
LET’S GET READY TO WALK! Walk MS is the rallying point of the MS movement, a community coming together to raise funds and celebrate hope for the future. Check out how we are going to make this happen this fall! We start out the 2013 Walk MS season with our 6th Annual Prescott Walk MS on Saturday, October 5th at the Yavapai Community College located at 11100 E. Sheldon Street in Prescott. Registration starts at 9 am, with the walk to kick-off at 11 am. There is a short (1 mile) and a long (2 mile) route option. Both routes weave you through the beautiful community college campus (1 mile), with the long route continuing another mile through the Northern Arizona VA Campus. Our second walk of the season is the 2nd Annual West Valley Walk MS held on Saturday, October 12th at Westgate City Center located at 6770 N Sunset Blvd. in Glendale. Registration starts at 8 am, with the walk to kick-off at 9:30 am. The 1 mile (short route) walk will start and end at Westgate’s beautiful Waterdance Plaza and lead you around the Center’s shops and Fountain Park. For those looking for a little more, you can continue on across to the Tanger Outlets for our long route option, which is an additional 1 mile walk through the new outlet shopping center. Next, we walk in our 26th Annual Phoenix
Walk MS on Saturday, November 2nd at the Phoenix Zoo and Desert Botanical Garden located at 455 Galvin Parkway in Phoenix. Registration starts at 5:30 am, with the walk to kick-off at 7 am. It will start at the SRP parking lot (1600 N. Priest Drive, Tempe) and lead participants through a 3-mile or 5-mile path through the Phoenix Zoo, the scenic Desert Botanical Garden (long route) and ending back at the SRP parking lot. We also have our BRAND NEW Kingman Walk MS being held on Saturday, November 2nd at the Mojave Community College located at 1971 Jagerson Ave in Kingman. Registration starts at 9:30 am, with the walk to kick-off at 11 am. The 1 mile route takes you through the picturesque community college campus. Closing out our 2013 walk season, we will walk in our BRAND NEW East Valley Walk MS on Saturday, November 9th at the Desert
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NATIONALMSSOCIETY.ORG | 1-800-344-4867
or email at lisa.cleary@nmss.org. If interested in the Prescott and Kingman Walk MS, please contact Lynette Baker, Community Development Manager, at (480) 455-3962 or email at lynette.baker@nmss.org. These fundraising community events bring together awareness and hope as we plan to raise much-needed funds to help fight MS. Participants of all ability levels and ages can enjoy these walks. There is no registration fee, but the fundraising of participants helps the National MS Society provide support to more than 8,000 individuals in the state of Arizona living with MS. Your fundraising efforts make a difference to many! n
Breeze Park located at 660 North Desert Breeze Blvd. in Chandler. Registration starts at 8 am, with the walk to kick-off at 9:30 am. This 1.65 mile route winds around the charming park, including Hummingbird Habitat and the beautiful lake. Five walks‌five locations! Get involved with one, or as many as you’d like to! How? Start a walk team or join a team! Ask your employer to sponsor the event! Volunteer before, during or after the event! Join our planning Committee! If interested in the West Valley, East Valley or Phoenix Walk MS, please contact Lisa Cleary, Sr. Development Manager, at (480) 455-3954
JOIN US FOR WALK MS! Learn more or register at walkMSarizona.org Saturday, October 5 - Prescott Saturday, October 12 - West Valley Saturday, November 2 - Phoenix & Kingman Saturday, November 9 - East Valley
06 RESEARCH
MAKING ADVANCES IN PEDIATRIC MS An increasing number of medical centers across the United States are collaborating on research on how and why multiple sclerosis happens in young people. Their work is already yielding valuable information on early MS triggers.
A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH The Network of Pediatric MS Centers was initiated in 2006 through a grant from the National MS Society. Thanks to its multidisciplinary approach, researchers at participating institutions are gathering important data on the disease. “We have been able to unravel key features, such as distinct characteristics of the disease on the MRI and in the spinal fluid of patients younger than 11,” says Emmanuelle Waubant, PhD, professor of Neurology and Pediatrics at the University of California – San Francisco (UCSF), which is currently running a large study aimed at unraveling the triggers of pediatric MS. [See box at right, “What triggers MS?] Thus far, the network has learned that MRIs of patients under 11 show larger and more poorly defined MS scars compared to adults,
MS CONNECTION: SUMMER 2013 and that MS scars in young patients often go away within a few months, which is very rare in adults. They also observed that the spinal fluid of young patients can show more inflammation than in adults. These findings have helped make the way forward clearer. “Now that these distinct features in younger patients have been identified, accurate diagnosis in children with MS is made easier, and early treatment can better prevent disability onset,” says Dr. Waubant. To learn more about pediatric MS and research in the field, visit www.nationalMSsociety.org/ pediatricMS. Originally published in the Gateway Chapter’s MSConnection newsletter.
WHAT TRIGGERS MS? The Network of Pediatric MS Centers is currently recruiting 640 children with relapsing-remitting MS or clinically isolated syndrome (a single episode of MS-like symptoms) and 1,280 children without MS for a multiyear study to determine risk factors for developing MS. “We expect the study will provide precious pieces of information on risk factors for MS in general, and maybe help develop new treatments or preventative strategies,” says lead investigator Emmanuelle Waubant, PhD. For more information about participating, and the 13 participating locations, contact janace. hart@ucsf@edu or call (415) 514-2476.
TO REGISTER FOR OR GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ANY OF THE EVENTS LISTED, AS WELL AS LEARN ABOUT ADDITIONAL EVENTS, VISIT HTTP://CALENDAR.ARIZONAMS.ORG OR CALL 1-800-344-4867 (1-800-FIGHT-MS) AND PRESS “1.”
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
LOCAL EVENTS NO BOYS ALLOWED June 14th and September 13th Method Coffee (Fry’s Shopping Center) Prescott Walk MS Sponsor 3180 Willow Creek Road, Ste a1 Prescott, AZ
CHAIR YOGA Tuesday, July 2nd 1:30 PM Innervision Yoga 1949 W Ray Rd Chandler $25.00 for 5 sessions
GENTLE YOGA Thursday, July 4th 1:30 PM Innervision Yoga 1949 W Ray Rd Chandler $25 for 5 sessions
BOYS NIGHT OUT Tuesday, July 9 6:00 PM Tomaso’s Phoenix 3225 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix
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FREE FROM FALLS Tuesdays, July 9th – August 27th 10 AM – 12 PM Mountain Valley Rehabilitation Hospital 3700 North Windsong Road, Prescott Valley Application is required by June 25 and the program cost is $60.00. Contact: lynette.baker@ nmss.org or 480-455-3962
COGNIFITNESS Tuesday, August 20th – Tuesday October 1st 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM HealthSouth Valley of the Sun 13460 N 67th Ave Glendale, AZ 85304
MOVING FORWARD: PROGRAM FOR THE NEWLY DIAGNOSED Saturday, September 7th 9 AM – 11:00 AM Arizona Chapter Office 5025 E Washington Street, Suite 102, Phoenix
COOL IN THE POOL Tuesdays and Thursdays 3:00pm – 3:45pm Del E. Webb Wellness and Rehabilitation Center 1719 Beverly Avenue, Kingman Contact 928-692-4601
MS SOCIAL CLUB
To provide an opportunity for adults affected with Multiple Sclerosis to enjoy a variety of activities. For more information, contact Nicole Dugie at (520) 837-8066
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IF YOU WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT SUPPORT GROUPS IN YOUR AREA, CALL 1-800-344-4867, AND PRESS ‘1’ OR CONTACT A LISTED LEADER.
SUPPORT GROUPS CENTRAL PHOENIX (DAY)
Chuck (602) 956-8129 2nd Monday of the month, 10:00am First United Methodist Church 5510 N. Central Avenue
EAST VALLEY
KINGMAN
Pati (928) 692-0979 3rd Saturday of the month, 10:30am Kingman Regional Medical Center Ocotillo Room 3269 Stockton Hill Road
Deb (480) 890-1488 3rd Thursday of the month, 10:00am Grace United Methodist Church 2024 E. University Dr., #502
2nd Tuesday of the month, 5:30pm Kingman Regional Medical Center Ocotillo Room 3269 Stockton Hill Road
FLAGSTAFF
NORTH SCOTTSDALE
Kathy (928) 774-2375 Please call for meeting time & location
GILBERT - ACTIVE WITH MS
Lisa (480) 860-2367 2nd Tuesday of the month, 4:30pm Scottsdale Senior Center 10440 East Via Linda, Room 8
Mark (480) 518-5971 4th Thursday of the month, 5:00pm Banner Neuro Wellness 207 N. Gilbert Rd., Suite 205 This group is open to all levels of activity and geared towards those aspiring to become more active or who are currently involved in sports.
PRESCOTT VALLEY/PRESCOTT
GLENDALE
Judie (520) 378-4400 4th Wednesday of the month, 11:00am Country House Cafe 4373 Arizona 92
Deborah (623) 974-6944 1st Tuesday of the month, 12:00pm First Southern Baptist Church 10250 N. 59th Avenue
Alan (928) 710-1257 2nd Thursday of the month, 10:00pm Wyndam Garden 4499 Hwy 69, Prescott
SIERRA VISTA
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NATIONALMSSOCIETY.ORG | 1-800-344-4867
SIGNIFICANT OTHERS
Lois (602) 672-9234 Please call for meeting time & location
SUN CITY
YUMA PSYCHOLOGICAL EMPOWERMENT GROUP Rachel (520) 325-0755 3rd Saturday of the month, 10:00am Yuma Rehabilitation Hospital 901 W 24th Street
Judy (623) 972-3941 Karen (623) 584-8575 1st Thursday of the Month, 10:30am First Presbyterian Church 12225 North 103rd Ave
TUCSON NORTHWEST GROUP
Cindy (520) 887-8905 Carol (520) 797-0405 2nd Wednesday of the month, 10:00am Casas Adobes Congregational Church 6801 North Oracle Road
TUCSON CENTRAL GROUP
Crystal (520) 271-3807 Please call for meeting time & location
TOWN HALL INFORMATIONAL MEETING 11:00am until 12:30pm Saturday, June 15 Lake Havasu Regional Medical Center 101 Civic Center Lane, Lake Havasu City Interested parties for a future Self Help Group
WOMEN’S GROUP-MARICOPA COUNTY
Debra (602) 672-1363 Last Saturday of the month, 10:00am St. Joseph’s Hospital Conference Room 1 350 W. Thomas Rd., Phoenix
YUMA EDUCATIONAL EMPOWERMENT GROUP Rachel (520) 325-0755 1st Thursday of the month, 6:30pm Yuma Regional MS Corporate Center 399 E 32nd Street
DON’T SEE A SUPPORT GROUP IN YOUR AREA? JOIN US FOR A STATEWIDE SKYPE GROUP! Eldene - (480) 860-9359 1st Tuesday of the month, 3:00 pm This group uses the free internet service Skype to meet from any location in Arizona. Call Eldene for more details on how to participate from the comfort of your home.
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MS CONNECTION: SPRING 2013
FUNDING THE MISSION
COOKS & CHORDS Cooks & Chords, A Taste for a World Free of MS is the 7th Annual National MS Society, Arizona Chapter tasting event. This year’s event will be held Saturday, September 28th and will be taking place in Mayo Clinic’s beautiful reception area nestled among the foothills of scenic Scottsdale. Stations of chef-prepared dishes paired with delicious spirits and wonderfullyappointed acoustic music will tantalize guests as they browse packages in our raffle and silent auction. Guests will also enjoy an inspirational program that will include an update on MS research by a Mayo Clinic Neurologist and will feature music from Kristie Salerno Kent. Taste and treat your senses to an evening of song, spirits and savory treats. Funds from Cooks & Chords directly support programs that increase knowledge about MS, keep families together despite the strain of dealing with chronic illness, provide counseling, help people with MS get and keep jobs, advocate for people with MS, and in every way, encourage empowerment. For thousands of people with MS, these things mean the difference between living a full and active life and just existing.
INSTERESTED IN ATTENDING? WANT TO BE AN EVENT SPONSOR? Contact Brandee Wessel at (480) 455-3958 or brandee.wessel@nmss.org for more information.
CARLSBAD TO SAN DIEGO: SEPTEMBER 27-29, 2013
3 DAYS 50 MILES
CONN ECT
TO END MS
Enjoy an all-inclusive weekend that travels the beautiful coastline of Southern California. Enjoy comfortable accommodations at the Marriott, all while experiencing the journey of a lifetime.
MYMSCHALLENGE.COM
NATIONALMSSOCIETY.ORG | 1-800-344-4867
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FUNDING THE MISSION
CALLING ALL WOMEN AGAINST MS!
As you may know, nearly 75% of all multiple sclerosis (MS) patients are women. When faced with this shocking diagnosis, many women and their families face physical, informational, emotional, and financial crises. In order to better educate and galvanize our community against MS, we hosted the 8th annual Women Against MS Luncheon on Thursday, April 25, 2013 at the Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa. Guests enjoyed an inspirational program emceed by Tara Hitchcock formerly of “Good Morning Arizona” and guest speakers discussing the “Generations” of MS. Stories ranged from a young ASU student who was recently diagnosed to a daughter of someone living with MS. The event hosted 400 attendees and raised more than $70,000! Planning for the next event will begin in August, 2013. If you are interested in helping plan the 2014 event contact Brandee Wessel (480) 455-3958 or brandee.wessel@nmss.org.
DELIVERING THE MISSION
ORO VALLEY STUDENT WINS TOP SCHOLAR AWARD Braden Whitaker has been awarded a renewable $3000 scholarship as a top scholar, ranking among the top 18 nationally. The scholarship will be funded by Arizona Chapter’s Marie Ringel Scholarship fund, established by Tucson resident Victor Ringel in honor of his late wife.
Braden was diagnosed with MS in September 2012 when he was 18 years old. A graduate of Ironwood Ridge, he’ll head to BYU having already made the Cougars’ cheer squad and on a career path to either research or practice medicine. “MS influenced my decision to go into medicine,” he said. “I’m constantly looking at the positive influences in my life,” he said. “I’ve found I’m so much happier when I do that than if I focus on the negative or wonder ‘Why me? I accept it and continue to live my life. It’s really the only way I know.”
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MS CONNECTION: SPRING 2013
RESEARCH
PROGRESS ON MS THERAPIES BY MEGAN WEIGEL, CNP, ARNP-C, MSCN
In 1993, Betaseron was released to market as the first disease-modifying therapy for multiple sclerosis. With the approval of oral dimethyl fumarate (brand name Tecfidera™) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in March, 2013, we now have 10 diseasemodifying therapies to treat relapsing forms of MS—and more on the horizon. Tecfidera is the third oral therapy approved to treat MS. A related compound, called Fumaderm (dimethyl fumarate and fumeric acid esters), has been used for decades in Europe to treat psoriasis. Tecfidera is a new and different formulation of dimethyl fumarate developed by Biogen Idec specifically to treat MS. Although its exact mechanism of action is not known, it is thought to inhibit immune cells active in MS and may even protect against damage to the brain and spinal cord. Two large phase III studies (the DEFINE and CONFIRM trials) found that Tecfidera significantly reduced relapses and disease activity as detected by MRI. The most common side effects were flushing of the skin and gastrointestinal upset. Before starting treatment, the FDA recommends a recent (within six months) blood cell count, repeated annually thereafter.
The MS Emerging Therapies Collaborative, which includes the Society, provides downloadable information sheets at www.mscoalition.org/emergingtherapies to facilitate communication between doctors and people with MS about newly approved treatments such as Tecfidera. Here are potential therapies to keep an eye on as we move forward into 2013 and beyond. Alemtuzumab, a monoclonal antibody that depletes circulating immune (T and B) cells thought to be responsible for MS attacks, would be administered by IV infusion for five days and then for three days one year later. Genzyme applied to the FDA for approval of alemtuzumab to treat relapsing MS, based on positive results from several clinical trials, including one that showed a 55% decrease in relapses compared to interferon beta-1a (Rebif ); however, the FDA asked the company to resubmit its application, so a timeline has not yet been established. While this therapy is powerful against MS, there is concern regarding adverse events, such as immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP, a bleeding disorder), and autoimmune thyroid disorders.
NATIONALMSSOCIETY.ORG | 1-800-344-4867
Laquinimod is a once-daily oral immune modulator that showed in phase III studies to decrease relapse rates, though not as robustly as investigators had hoped. This drug is about to be tested in another phase III study in 1,800 people with relapsing-remitting MS. Daclizumab and ocrelizumab are two other monoclonal antibodies currently under study, with favorable results thus far. A highly concentrated liquid formulation of daclizumab is under study in relapsing-remitting MS. Experimental ocrelizumab, given intravenously, significantly reduced disease activity on MRI scans in a study of 218 people with relapsingremitting MS. One person died due to brain edema; however, the relation of this death to the medication is unclear. Additional research, now going on in primary-progressive MS and relapsing-remitting MS, is needed to further determine ocrelizumab’s safety and benefits. Research is also underway on potential treatments for progressive forms of MS and the International Progressive MS Collaborative, of which the Society is a member, plans to do all it can to speed the development of those treatments. Current clinical trials include natalizumab (Tysabri), fingolimod (Gilenya) and ocrelizumab.
MAKING CHOICES When we consider treatment now, in particular the possibility of switching therapies, we weigh the safety and efficacy of our older, injectable disease-modifying agents against the seeming convenience and perhaps superior efficacy of newer agents. The sequencing of therapies is
13 a new consideration, as well, as the effects of medications like natalizumab and fingolimod on the immune system may be prolonged. Questions about new therapies may mean longer or more frequent appointments with neurologists to discuss their risk-benefit ratios. Additionally, people with MS may choose to see an MS specialist, or be referred to one by a general neurologist, for treatment recommendations. However, the most encouraging part, in addition to the fact that treatments for MS may be getting more effective, of course, is that the research pipeline is full. Thanks to those who are committed to research funding, science is able to continue searching for the cure, and on that search, discover medications that will keep this disease as quiet as possible. To follow progress on potential MS therapies, sign up for MS eNEWS at nationalMSsociety. org/signup, or visit nationalMSsociety.org/ research. Megan Weigel is a Doctor of Nursing Practice and MS Certified Nurse who has been caring for people with MS for 12 years. This article was originally published in the North Florida Chapter’s MSConnection newsletter.
14 ADVOCACY
BE A DIGITAL MS ACTIVIST In 2012, MS activists sent tens of thousands of emails, placed hundreds of phone calls, and made hundreds of in-person visits to members of Congress asking for their support on issues important to people with multiple sclerosis and their families. And now there are more ways for MS activists to connect—online.
DRIVING CHANGE Digital MS activists—like all MS activists— want to drive change and do so by amplifying their voice and connecting with elected officials over social media. At www.nationalMSsociety.org/digiMSactivist, learn how to share your story, connect with other MS activists and build relationships through social media and email. The webpage includes ways to: • Get informed. Become part of the MS Activist Network. Receive e-newsletters and Action Alerts about important pieces of legislation. Send emails with a few clicks of your mouse. • Rise up. Learn where your elected officials stand. Speak out on issues important to you as a person affected by MS. • Take Action. Build relationships with elected officials by posting on and liking their
MS CONNECTION: SPRING 2013
social media pages and by thanking them on Facebook or Twitter for their supportive actions. • Recruit. Encourage others to join the movement by directing them to our video at ntl. ms/YouCanBeAnMSActivist, or to www. nationalMSsociety.org/digiMSactivist. Become a digital MS activist and help shape the conversations today that will drive change tomorrow—we promise you, people will listen!
DEAR COLLEAGUE “Dear Colleagues” are important tools in supporting legislation that impacts people with multiple sclerosis. They are letters sent by one or two members of Congress to fellow members, usually asking for co-sponsors on a new bill or seeking to influence recipients’ votes on a particular issue. The Society often helps compose letters that support legislation important to people with MS. MS Activists help gain signers through Action Alert emails. This spring, Dear Colleagues were circulated in Congress to support $10 million in funding for the MS Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program, $32 billion for the National Institutes of Health, and $2.5 million for the Lifespan Respite Program. The Congressional MS Caucus and MS activists are working in coalition with other groups to preserve these funding levels for FY 2014. To join the effort, go to www.nationalMSsociety.org/MSActivist.
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NATIONALMSSOCIETY.ORG | 1-800-344-4867
DELIVERING THE MISSION
BIKE MS: RIDE THE VORTEX IS A RAVING SUCCESS! “Loved the route and had fun with everybody!”, exclaimed Charlie Gerhardt on Sunday, May 19th, after cycling 150 miles on his 6 foot 4 inch tall modified Schwinn Continental. Charlie was one of 730 registered cyclists that participated in the 27th Annual Bike MS event the weekend of May 18th and 19th. Despite heavy winds at times, riders traveled through the scenic City of Cottonwood, Clarkdale and Sedona as part of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society – Arizona Chapter’s Bike MS: Ride the Vortex. This annual event is the premier bike ride in the State of Arizona and is part of the country’s largest national cycling series supported by the Society. Bike MS: Ride the Vortex is a two-day catered cycling event hosted at the Verde Valley Fairgrounds in Cottonwood. In addition to bike rides through parts of the Verde Valley, participants enjoyed a vendor exposition, DJ, live band, food, beer tent, and the first annual “Bike Jersey Fashion Show” at the fairgrounds. The weekend definitely had a festive vibe to it, as cyclists celebrated their accomplishment with everyone. We would like to give a big thank you to all of our amazing riders, volunteers, sponsors and committee for their incredible hard work
and dedication. A special thank you to our Presenting Sponsor, Sam’s Club, together, we have raised to-date a total of $482,440! We still have some work to do, as our fundraising goal is $625,000. We have until September 30th of this year to get there! If you have any questions on fundraising, please contact our Teams Manager, Sarah Grogger, at (480) 455-3956 or email at sarah.grogger@nmss.org. For information on how to get more involved with the Bike MS: Ride the Vortex, please contact Lisa Cleary, Sr. Development Manager, at (480) 455-3954 or email at lisa.cleary@nmss.org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Non-Profit Org Permit 5377 Denver, CO
Arizona Chapter 5025 E. Washington Street, Suite 102 Phoenix, AZ 85034
MARK YOUR
CALENDARS June 14: No Boys Allowed - Prescott July 2: 4: 9: 9:
Chair Yoga - Chandler Gentle Yoga - Chandler Boy’s Night Out - Phoenix Free From Falls Begins - Prescott
August 20: CogniFitness Begins - Glendale September 7: Moving Forward: Program for the Newly Diagnosed - Phoenix 28: Cooks & Chords - Phoenix See more events and programs at http://calendar.arizonaMS.org.