MOVING TOWAR D A WO R LD FR E E OF MS Volume 4 • Issue 4
Northern California Chapter
New Headquarters—Same Mission… By David Hartman
W
We may have changed our address but one thing is still the same—the Northern California Chapter is dedicated to a world free of MS…
Upcoming Survey We consider a broad spectrum of issues that impact quality of life when we develop programs and services for the 120,000 people who have, or are affected by, MS across our 40-county region. In order to best enhance the quality of their lives in every action we undertake on their behalf, we listen carefully to what our clients and their family members tell us is important to them. By doing so, we are better equipped to develop the kinds of programs and services that they want and need. Continue to Page 3
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
e have recently relocated the Chapter’s headquarter offices from Oakland to San Francisco. While we are sad to leave our friends and neighbors after more than 15 years in downtown Oakland, an incredible opportunity presented itself in the heart of the newest biotech research and development property in California. Located next door to the Gladstone Clinic, across the street from Genentech, and down the block from Pfizer, our new headquarters is situated at the epicenter of cutting-edge MS research. In the years to come UCSF plans to build an MS Center as well as a Women’s and Children’s Hospital within walking distance of our offices. We are excited by the prospects before us and look forward to the opportunities this location offers. Watch for our open house around the winter holidays and come see what our excitement is all about!
No-Cook Meals Page 8
Advocacy Page 9
Living with MS Page 11
Money Matters Page 13
415-230-6677 / 1-800-344-4867 Publication of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Northern California Chapter 1700 Owens Street, Suite 190 San Francisco, CA 94158 Chairman David R. Hultman Chapter President David Hartman Newsletter Editors James Dress Martha Platt The National MS Society is proud to be a source of information about MS. Information provided is based upon professional advice, published expertise and expert opinion, but does not constitute therapeutic recommendation or prescription. The Society recommends that all questions and information be discussed with a personal physician. The National MS Society does not endorse products, services or manufacturers. Sponsorship of Society programs or events does not connote that the National MS Society recognizes superiority in products or services provided by the sponsoring entity over other entities providing like or similar products or services. The Society assumes no liability for the use or contents of any products or services mentioned.
Š 2008 National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Northern California Chapter
2
JOIN THE MOVEMENT: nationalMSsociety.org
Computer Accessibility Features Get your free copy of the Microsoft Accessibility Features Quick Guide to the accessible features built-in to Microsoft XP and Vista operating systems! This handy desk-top spiral-bound book may make it easier for you to use your Windows-based computer. Organized by color-coded tabs, it tells you how to use the features already in your Vista or XP operating system, such as StickyKeys, ShowSounds, MouseKeys, Narrator, and more. Available free by calling the Santa Clara office at 1-800-344-4867, option 2.
Did You Know... Studies show that early and ongoing treatment with an FDA-approved therapy can reduce future disease activity and improve quality of life for many people with multiple sclerosis. National MS Society medical advisors recommend that people with MS talk with their health care professional about using one of these medications and about strategies and effective treatments to manage symptoms. If you or someone you know has MS, please contact the Society today at www.nationalmssociety.org or 1-800344-4867 to learn about ways to help manage multiple sclerosis and about current research that may one day reveal a cure.
Continued from Page 1
During the upcoming year, all three NMSS Chapters serving California will work together to develop a survey of client wants and needs, and will send it to a crosssection of clients throughout the state. The results will be used to develop collaborative partnerships statewide to make best use of regional resources and fundraising opportunities. We hope those of you who receive the survey will take the time to respond with full candor. We are highly optimistic that this will give us an accurate picture of the needs of our clients, the degree to which our programs meet those needs, and how we can improve.
Current Programs and Services Over the past year, we have delivered a wide array of programs and services to our clients in Northern California. These programs have focused on the areas of understanding MS and its symptoms, mental and physical health, wellness, interpersonal relationships, social activities, research, and other topics related to living well while living with MS. New in 2008, counseling groups are being offered in multiple cities. Among services continuing in 2008 are our care management program, which provides needed support
to our members who might otherwise not receive the care services they need, and our financial assistance program, there to lend a hand during these rough economic times. We are excited that the scope of our volunteer outreach continues to grow. Daily, our peer volunteers are on the phones providing information and encouragement or simply someone to listen. Chapter volunteers are now being trained to identify resources in their communities though our Community Service Investigator program (see article on last page), and the Chapter provides ongoing training for our self-help group leaders and supports over 65 volunteerled self-help groups throughout our service area. If you are interested in attending a self-help group near you, locations and contacts are printed in the back of this publication and are also available on our website at www.nationalmssociety.org/can. Together with our focus on research to find the cause, cure and better treatments for MS, we dedicate our efforts to improving and enhancing the quality of life NOW for all who are touched by this challenging disease. We appreciate your ongoing support and confidence as we continue to move forward toward a world free of MS.
TOLL FREE NUMBER 1 800 344 4867
3
PRESIDENT’S UPDATE
This effort is about to be coordinated statewide for the first time.
NMSS RESOURCES
Private Disability Insurance Claims: A Guide for People with MS If you’re covered by a disability insurance policy through your employer, or one that you bought on your own, get up to speed on your rights and responsibilities before you file a disability claim. The Society’s new guide offers a stepby-step explanation of the claims process, with tips to help you get approved. A companion guide for professionals, Supporting MS-Related Disability Claims to Private Insurers: The Physician’s Role, provides doctors with a checklist of things to include in their supporting statement to document their patients’ claims for benefits. Call us for a copy of either booklet. Or go to nationalMSsociety.org/insurance and click on “Other Insurance.”
Catch up with our Annual Progress Report Moving Forward Together is now on the Society Web site, reporting on milestones for fiscal year 2007. (The 2007 fiscal year began October 1, 2006, and ended September 30, 2007.) Type “annual report” in the search box on the Society’s home page for a colorful look at the year’s achievements. 4
JOIN THE MOVEMENT: nationalMSsociety.org
Live links connect to the complete financial spreadsheets and to other resources on our Web site. If you cannot access the Internet, please call us and we’ll print one out for you.
Café con Leche Buenas noticias para las personas hispanas/ latinas con EM. Café con Leche ha regresado. Para más información llame al 1800-344-4867.
Wondering how to balance your career and your MS? Is fatigue interfering with your social life? Considering telling the person you are dating you have MS? At Real Talk. Real Answers. Living with MS in your 20s and 30s you’ll find discussions on these topics and more— and get some answers to the questions that matter. Go to realtalkrealanswers. com for live webcasts, virtual journals, tips from others living with MS, and other features. Real Talk. Real Answers. is made possible through a collaboration of the National MS Society and MS LifeLines.
Whether it’s a lovingly hand-knitted scarf or an outgrown pair of jeans, now there’s a way you can sell your wares and help fund the movement at the same time. When you offer items through the “Community Marketplace” on the Society’s Web site, you can designate the percentage of proceeds that you’d like to donate to the Society and you can specify what chapter you would like the proceeds to benefit. The Community Marketplace is powered by missionfish.org, the administrator of eBay’s Giving Works program. It allows sellers to give proceeds from their sales to a nonprofit organization of their choice.
From bracelets to binoculars A sampling of the items recently on sale at the Marketplace includes multiple sclerosis “hope” necklaces and awareness bracelets, a Chicago Bulls “Ultimate” card collection, Roy Orbison’s all-time greatest hits (on vinyl!), spaghetti paintings, original photographs, purses, sandals, vintage comic books, knitting patterns, binoculars—and loads more.
between 3–7% of the final sale price, eBay gives a fee credit to sellers who donate through eBay Giving Works. The credit will be reflected in their account approximately six weeks later.
Getting there Click “Get Involved” at the top of the Society’s homepage at nationalMSsociety. org. This will lead you to a link to the Community Marketplace—as well as to the Society Store and the Movement Marketplace. The Society Store offers top-quality wearables and collectibles — with our logo and in our brand colors — at a fair price, providing an opportunity to show support and increase awareness of the MS movement. The Movement Marketplace features special offers from the Society’s corporate supporters.
Become a seller—and a supporter If you’re already an eBay seller, click the “Sell” tab at the top of the listings. If you’re not a seller, but would like to become one, the site will lead you step by step on how to register after you’ve chosen where you’d like your donation to go. Anything that can be sold on eBay can be sold on Community Marketplace, whether it’s a first edition of To Kill a Mockingbird, or a dog-eared paperback of John Grisham’s latest. While all sellers pay fees, which usually range TOLL FREE NUMBER 1 800 344 4867
5
WAYS TO SELL
Ways to Sell
HEALTH CARE REFORM
National MS Society Boldly Enters Health Care Reform Debate
O
n May 8, 2008, the National Board of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society unanimously voted to adopt National Health Care Reform Principles. The Principles were designed to ensure that national health care reform includes items important to the MS community as well as to the general public. Because the needs of individuals with multiple sclerosis within the health care system can be multi-faceted and require a vast spectrum of services, the Society’s National Health Care Reform Principles cover issues important to the MS community related to preventive, medical, rehabilitative, mental health, and long-term care services. Other organizations have developed their own health care reform principles. The Society’s Principles are unique because they address the distinctive issues that impact the lives of people with MS. By advancing our Principles, the Society can bring the perspective of people with MS to the larger discussion on health care reform. Health care reform is a top domestic issue, particularly in light of the upcoming presidential election. Within the current health care system, many individuals are left without coverage or adequate access. The Society’s Health Care Reform Principles are meant to address those issues and to ensure that vulnerable populations – such as the chronic disease community – are represented. 6
JOIN THE MOVEMENT: nationalMSsociety.org
Health Care Reform Principles 1. Accessible health care coverage 2. Affordable health care services and coverage 3. Standards for coverage of specific treatments 4. Elimination of disparities in care 5. Comprehensive, quality health care available to all 6. Increased value of health care 7. Access to high-quality, long-term supports and services To read the full document specifying our beliefs and supporting rationale for each of these 7 principles, please go to: www. nationalmssociety.org/government-affairsand-advocacy America spends more per capita on health care than any other country. Despite this, millions of Americans are either underinsured or have no insurance, so access to the highest level of health care is limited. Health care reform is considered one of the most pressing domestic issues in America today. Nearly all national political candidates and elected officials agree that the status quo is not acceptable. Widely disparate views exist on how to fix the current system. In this context, significant discussions will focus on how a new system should be developed and what the critical criteria should be in designing significant and meaningful reform. We can achieve considerable savings within the current model to help address the important issue of covering the costs for the expansion of access to quality health care in any reformed model.
People living with multiple sclerosis and other chronic conditions or disabilities are particularly vulnerable in our current system. A chronic disease such as MS means extra reliance on health care services in order to cope with the effects of the condition. Multiple sclerosis must be managed with
a broad spectrum of preventive, medical, rehabilitative, mental health and long-term care services to help affected individuals and their families. The Northern California Chapter’s own volunteer Government Relations Committee Chair, Tammy Pilisuk, and California State Policy Director Stewart Ferry were key contributing members to the drafting of the Society’s Health Care Reform Principles. The Chapter intends to present our Principles to key Congressional members and Stateelected officials throughout our Chapter territory so that when legislative changes to our healthcare system occur, the needs of persons with MS will be given full consideration.
Del Oro Caregiver Resource Center Annual Conference Honors Family Caregivers In honor of National Family Caregiving Month, you are invited to join us for a special presentation entitled “Opening Our Front Doors Wider – The Health Benefits for Family Caregivers to Staying Connected as We Age,” featuring Maggie Marshall, a nationally recognized speaker and author.
Friday, November 14, 2008 9:00 – 11:30 a.m. DoubleTree Hotel California Ballroom 2001 Point West Way Sacramento, CA 95818 This conference is FREE and open to the public. Continental breakfast will be provided. To register, please contact Del Oro Caregiver Resource Center at (916) 971-0893.
TOLL FREE NUMBER 1 800 344 4867
7
HEALTH CARE REFORM
Nearly 50 million Americans do not have any health insurance, and many millions more have inadequate coverage, leaving both their health and financial security highly vulnerable. As currently structured, the American health care system is all too often inaccessible, unaffordable, inefficient, wasteful, uncoordinated and administratively complex. The time is right for systemic change.
NO-COOK MEALS
Take It Easy with No-Cook Meals Give yourself a break by not cooking. The Internet offers a cornucopia of ideas for nocook meals. ∫ Myrecipes.com has a wide
selection of no-cook menus. Scroll down to “Easy ways to find recipes” and plug in “nocook.” ∫ A search for “no-cook” on
Epicurious.com brings lots of mouthwatering results, but check that they don’t require any preparatory cooking. It’s easier to look under Epicurious’ “drinks” section, where you’ll discover unusual
options like Cucumber-Lime Agua that at most require a stint in the freezer. Foodnetwork.com has an entire section devoted to no-cook menus. Click the “Holidays & Parties” tab, then “All Parties,” where you will see the link. ∫
∫ Visit Chow.com/tags/281-
no-cook to find off-thebeaten-track no-cook recipes like Kulfi (an Indian dessert) or Double Cheese and Black Bread Terrine. Happy no-cooking!
Waves to Wine, 25th Anniversary Ride Bike MS: Waves to Wine, 25th Anniversary Gold Ride was a huge success! From the start at AT&T Park in San Francisco, over the Golden Gate Bridge, along the coastline into Healdsburg, then through wine country and on to Lake Sonoma, our Cyclists, Volunteers, Staff and Champions were on the move! Thank you to the Cyclists and Volunteers who made Bike MS: Waves to Wine such an amazing event! If you would like to donate or view pictures, visit Bike MS on our website nationalmssociety.org/can. In addition to everyone who participated, thank you to these sponsors for their generous support!
Platinum
8
JOIN THE MOVEMENT: nationalMSsociety.org
Bronze
Featured
W
hile Caucasians have a higher incidence of MS, the disease can follow a different and sometimes more severe course in African Americans. The newly formed National African American Advisory Council held its first meeting in February to discuss how to get the message about MS out to the African American community.
Dr. Mary Hughes (L) and Dr. Dora Hughes
Following the council’s recommendations, the Society will seek to develop relationships with African-American celebrities, historically black colleges, and leaders of churches and other faith-based institutions to raise awareness about the disease.
Milton Morris Photography
Dr. Mary Hughes, a member of the Society’s board of directors and a neurologist at Medical College of Georgia, whose sister Dora has MS, chaired the meeting. Other attendees included neurologists, people with MS and family members, physical therapists, counselors, a public health expert, a pediatric nurse, and a neuroophthalmologist. The Society received a grant from the Medtronic Foundation for this meeting.
Inviting people in
ADVOCACY
African American Advisory Council Reaches Out
Other recommendations include developing a booklet for African Americans with MS, and encouraging more African Americans with MS to participate in MS clinical trials. The Council agreed that meeting once a year was not enough, and is planning to talk again.
MS activists visit Capitol Hill In May, more than 400 MS activists from all 50 states visited their U.S. senators and representatives asking for support of: ∫ The Ending the Medicare Disability
Waiting Period Act of 2007 (S. 2102/H.R. 154). This bill would phase out Medicare’s 24-month disability waiting period. ∫ The National Multiple Sclerosis Disease
Registry Act (H.R. 5874), which will get an accurate measure of the incidence and prevalence of MS in the United States.
∫ Federal investment in MS research at
the Department of Defense through the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs. Research on the increased MS incidence among combat veterans could lead to better understanding of potential environmental triggers. Add your voice! Go to the MS Activist Toolkit (nationalMSsociety.org/ActivistToolkit) on our Web site to learn how to fit activism into your life. TOLL FREE NUMBER 1 800 344 4867
9
LIVING WITH MS
The Skinny on Skin Most organs like the kidneys, liver and stomach are tucked inside and out of view. But what protects them? Skin, the largest organ of all.
MS Connection. Dr. Shah is the director of Neurorehabilitation at the University of Texas Southwestern Multiple Sclerosis Center in Dallas.
Incontinence
If you have bladder or bowel issues, make sure to clean and dry your skin regularly and Skin keeps germs, dirt and damaging sun after any incontinence. rays out, and important Tuck dry underwear, moist Decreased sensation things, such as water, wipes and soft paper or numbness blood and fat, in. toweling in a baggie and There is no medical treatment stash in your backpack, Some MS symptoms, such for numbness. Because numbbriefcase, or shoulder bag. as bladder and bowel ness is essentially a decrease in sensation, it’s possible to Managing injectionproblems, numbness burn or injure skin more eas- site reactions (see sidebar), and lack of ily. Keep an eye on anything mobility can negatively hot—the stove, candles, radi- Reactions can include impact the skin’s health. ators. With coffee or other hot redness, itchiness, and beverages, use a mug with a swelling. Subcutaneous The injectable MS drugs lid to prevent spills, and wait injections tend to cause can also affect skin. Skin a while for your drink to cool more skin reactions than reactions at injection sites down before taking a sip. Get intramuscular injections, a set of unbreakable dishes. can range from annoying although the latter may to serious. produce mild bruising and be slightly more painful. Maintaining healthy skin More severe reactions include wounds, ∫ Don’t smoke. It dries out skin and makes it ulcerations, lumps, or atrophy. Occasionally, harder to heal from injection-site reactions. surgery and antibiotics are needed. ∫ Keep hydrated. Here’s one more reason Dr. Shah recommends: to drink the recommended eight 8-ounce ∫ Learn a good injection technique from glasses of fluid a day. And, as beauty your nurse or the patient assistance magazines say, moisturize regularly. program your drug company offers. ∫ Wear hats, long sleeves and pants in the ∫ Make sure skin is cleansed with soap and middle of the day. Use a broad-spectrum water and then disinfected with alcohol sunscreen with an SPF factor greater than before injecting. 15, even if your skin is very dark. ∫ Let medication warm to room temperature ∫ Inspect skin regularly for bruises, cuts, to reduce burning or stinging. marks, or other damage. Don’t forget the ∫ Ask your health-care provider about an soles of the feet and in between the toes. autoinjector, which allows people to “If you notice something is not healing, choose injection depths. let your health-care provider know as ∫ Rotate injection sites! soon as possible,” Anjali N. Shah, MD, told 10 JOIN THE MOVEMENT: nationalMSsociety.org
∫ Topical agents such as lidocaine can be
Ask your health-care provider for other recommendations.
Get Active in the Water “In water, people can move in ways that they can’t on land,” Sue Kushner, MS, PT, told MS Connection. Kushner is an associate professor of Physical Therapy at Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania, and a longtime MS Society volunteer. “In the water, people have an opportunity to improve their flexibility, balance and coordination, strength, and cardiovascular endurance— and take all that back to land,” she said. “Some may even find some relief from pain or a decrease in spasticity.”
Something for everyone You don’t have to be a swimmer: aqua exercise can be anything from gentle moving in the water to a full program of vigorous exercises. Routines should suit your mobility and fitness level; your health-care provider can give you a prescription for a physical therapist. Tips for success: ∫ Check the temperature: Experts suggest a water temperature of 82 to 84 degrees, but try anything below body temperature to find what’s right for you.
∫ Improve balance:
Walk along the pool wall forward, backward and sideways. “Hold on to the wall,” Kushner said. “And make sure you are moving in all directions.” Also try braiding, where you put one foot in front of or behind the other to further challenge your balance. ∫ Get flexible: Stand facing the pool wall.
Stretch one leg straight behind you and bend the other knee as you lean forward. Then reverse legs (a typical runner’s stretch). Or, stand at a corner of the pool where the water is waist or chest deep, place your hands flat against each wall, and bend your arms as you lean into the corner. This stretches the chest muscles. ∫ Stay afloat: Strap on a flotation vest
to help you remain upright, kick one leg in a circle clockwise and the other counterclockwise (an “egg-beater” kick). You’ll increase flexibility in legs and hips. ∫ Get help: Call us at 1-800-344-4867 for a
list of physical therapists or aqua exercise programs. Your parks department will also know about accessible pools. And visit the American Physical Therapy Association’s Web site at apta.org.
TOLL FREE NUMBER 1 800 344 4867 11
LIVING WITH MS
applied to the site to help decrease pain or irritation. ∫ Talk with your health-care provider about applying a warm or cold compress beforehand. Some people do better with one or the other. ∫ For itchiness, try an over-the-counter antihistamine such as topical Benadryl.
RESEARCH
Researchers Need You Is a Clinical Trial Right For You?
S
cientists are testing new medications for MS in clinical trials across the country and around the world. These trials depend on people who are willing to participate. Volunteering means you could help find a groundbreaking new treatment for you and other people with MS. But there are issues to consider.
What are the risks? If the treatment works, you have first access. But there can be side effects of the test drug, and adverse events, either mild or serious. Talk with your health-care provider about the risks and benefits of any clinical trial.
What are the costs? An “informed consent” form shows which costs will be billed to you. Contact your insurer to find out what they will cover. Travel and hotels may or may not be reimbursed. You may lose work time for appointments. Ask, “Can I afford it?”
How is the study controlled? In many trials, some participants receive the drug being tested; others receive a placebo, or inactive “dummy” look-a-like of the medicine. You won’t know what you’re getting, but you can ask what the odds are that you’ll be on active therapy. That’s 12
JOIN THE MOVEMENT: nationalMSsociety.org
important because you may be giving up the safety net of your normal medication.
Are you eligible? Scientists study how medications work with people at different stages of the disease, at different ages, and sometimes of a specific gender, ethnicity, or physical makeup. Most calls for clinical trial volunteers include eligibility requirements. Without volunteers, we could not look forward to new and better therapies. For more information on volunteering and for details on clinical trials taking place in your area, visit nationalMSsociety.org/Need.
Intriguing Leads ∫ Can robots help train the brain to restore
functions that are necessary for walking? ∫ Will there be more accurate ways to predict
how an individual’s MS will change over time? ∫ Can an adult’s own store of stem cells be
tapped to repair MS damage? ∫ Could the $28 billion that MS costs the U.S.
economy every year be trimmed? Would reducing employment discrimination pay off? Or better health-care delivery? Or reforms in health insurance systems? ∫ Will there be disease-modifying drugs in
pill form any time soon? Read all about current research on these questions in Intriguing Leads on the Horizon. Just click “Research” in the top bar on the Society’s Web site (nationalMSsociety.org). And keep abreast of breaking news on MS research by logging on regularly.
MONEY MATTERS
Society Offers Free Financial Planning
S
taying up late at night worrying about the bills, covering the mortgage, changing your job? We can help. “We’ve enlisted over 600 financial advisors across the country to give free advice to Society members,” said Michael Elder, director of the Society’s Financial Education Partners Program (FEP), a collaboration between the National MS Society and the Society of Financial Service Professionals. “We offer financial education, literacy training and one-on-one consultations, much of it offered on the phone. People with MS are often presented with situations that seem overwhelming—financial matters may be one of them.” The financial advisors working with the Society cover over 15 specialties—from retirement planning to health insurance to legal services. “These experts can help with employment issues, budgeting, and even health care,” Elder said. “Often more than one will work together to help a client.” A common concern among people with MS is career transition. “Our clients want to know, ‘Can I leave my job? And can I afford to be retrained?’ You can find an advisor to help with the financial planning involved in that decision,” Elder said. The program also addresses financial areas specific to women. “There is a high rate of
divorce among people with MS,” he said. “Men are still more often the breadwinners. We wanted to address the money issues that arise for women out of that situation.” The FEP set up a free “Women with MS” financial workshop in Society chapters with the highest demand. Elder stressed that the program always looks at the whole picture. “Sometimes people need the services of more than one expert,” he said. “Recently, to address the problems of a family facing foreclosure, the FEP put together a team including a planner, a real estate professional and a lawyer.” In 2007, the National MS Society awarded the Society of Financial Service Professionals with the National Organization of the Year Award for their many hours of free service. Call us to speak with a financial consultant and visit nationalMSsociety.org/Insurance for more information. TOLL FREE NUMBER 1 800 344 4867 13
SELF-HELP GROUPS
Northern California Self-Help Groups Alameda County
Napa County
Alameda, Sharon 510-521-6260 or Ray 510-522-5210 Berkeley, Toni 510-735-7890 East Bay Lesbians, Jane 510-444-5257 Fremont, Kim 510-793-0765 Oakland, Katrina 510-568-2301 Oakland: African Americans, Tracey 510-670-8633 Oakland: Latinos, Elsa 510-777-1414 Tri-Valley Pleasanton, Mary Beth 925-829-0832
Napa, Colin 707-944-2262 or Penelope 707-265-9680
Contra Costa County Brentwood: MS for lunch bunch, Kathy 925-286-7674 or Julie 925-513-4686 Mt. Diablo (Concord), John and Janis 925-372-0859 or Oscar 925-673-0984 (Call between 6:30-8:30pm Mon-Thurs.) El Cerrito, Sylvia 510-559-9319 Richmond, Vanda 510-559-1898
El Dorado County Placerville, Fred and Stacey 530-644-1188
Humboldt County Eureka, Ann Louise 707-839-0177 or Kim 707-445-9803
Marin County Corte Madera, Verita 415-927-7068 or Anita 415-892-5548
Mendocino
Nevada County Grass Valley, Helen 530-268-3127 or Dan 530-272-7636
Placer County Auburn, Ruth 530-888-8388 Roseville: Minimal Symptoms Group, Brett or Kelly 916-773-6799 or brettsmith51@comcast.net Lincoln, Marcia or Jerry 916-408-7899
Sacramento County Elk Grove, Willie 916-684-1677 or Dorothy 916-684-6849 Sacramento: Moving on with MS, Sylvia 916-349-1324 South Sacramento, Edie 916-688-2674
San Benito County Hollister Group, Gina 831-636-3241, Robin 831-636-0930 or Helen 831-637-6267
San Francisco County San Francisco Forum, Dolores 415-467-6186 or David 415-585-9851 SF Potluck Luncheon, Karen 415-584-6115 (Meets periodically) SF Sunset District, Tatiana 415-665-1178
Mendocino, Joanne 707-937-4929
Merced County Merced: MS Challengers, Susan 209-384-6533
Monterey County Monterey, Susan 831-659-1354 or MaryLee 831-373-2450 14
JOIN THE MOVEMENT: nationalMSsociety.org
San Joaquin County Stockton (PM), Brenda 209-951-0536 or Mary 209-334-5670 Stockton (AM), Betty 209-368-6026 Tracy, Linda 209-833-6882
San Mateo San Mateo, Eli 650-377-1970 San Mateo, George 650-593-5154
Tehama County
Milpitas, Indu 510-656-3408 Palo Alto, Phyllis 650-321-9081 or George 650-593-5154 San Jose, Cor 408-270-8922 or David 408-578-3752 San Jose, Janine 408-794-0777 Santa Clara, Brian 408-739-9445 or Susan 408-253-4489
Red Bluff, Teresa 530-529-4412 or Jodine 530-528-8767
Santa Cruz County Capitola, Tom 831-684-2252 or Ada 831-440-1211
Shasta County Hope 4 MS, Beth 530-246-8404 or Patricia 530-222-7277 or Robin 530-246-2980
Siskiyu County NEW – Now Forming! Yreka, Wynonna 530-842-1849
Solano County Vacaville, Debrah 707-447-9603 (before 7:00 pm) or Marian 707-422-7515 Vallejo, Marian 707422-7515 Solano County Group, Pam 707-745-3704
Sonoma County Santa Rosa, Debbie 707-569-9976 Rohnert Park / Petaluma, Debbie 707-569-9976 Healdsburg, Kate 707-433-9194 Sonoma Women’s Group, Noreen 707-933-9500
Stanislaus County
Tuolumne County Sonora, Steven or Gloria, 209-532-5646
Looking for Research Participants Are you a mother diagnosed with multiple sclerosis or other chronic disease? And do you have a child who is in middle school or high school? Researchers at The Graduate School and University Center of City University of New York (CUNY) are looking for subjects to participate in a research project investigating how parental chronic illness may affect their children’s school performance and behavior. You will be asked to fill out a questionnaire which may take approximately an hour to complete. All information gathered will be strictly confidential. $10 compensation will be provided. If interested, contact the principal investigator, Mr. Yung-Chi Chen, in the Ph.D. Program in Educational Psychology at the Graduate Center of CUNY at: YCHEN8@GC.CUNY.EDU
Modesto, Pati 209-524-8329 Turlock, Bill 209-664-1427 or Frances 209-667-2184
Educational Psychology, The Graduate Center, CUNY
Sutter County
917-365-7619
Yuba City, Evon 530-701-2189
365 5th Avenue, New York, NY 10016
TOLL FREE NUMBER 1 800 344 4867 15
SELF-HELP GROUPS
Santa Clara County
Community Service Investigator (CSI) Program The CSI program is an NMSS nationwide information and resource-gathering program conducted by trained Chapter volunteers. Through these volunteers’ devoted efforts, the Society is building the most robust MS-service database possible for providing up-to-date, comprehensive referrals and services to people with MS across the country. Each Chapter’s CSI volunteers assist in identifying appropriate, accessible resources for people affected by MS throughout all communities in their Chapter. CSI responsibilities include identifying appropriate community resources; obtaining comprehensive information about those resources including accessibility information; identifying resources that are no longer available and need to be deleted from the existing database; recording updated resource data accurately onto database forms; and maintaining strong communications between staff, providers, and other volunteers. The ideal volunteer for this position should have the following qualifications: ∫ Ability to represent the National MS Society in a professional manner ∫ Strong organizational skills ∫ Ability to engage others in conversation by phone and solicit needed information ∫ Effective verbal and written communication skills ∫ Computer skills preferred ∫ Time commitment of 2-4 hours per month for calling local providers and 1-2 hours per month for planning and reporting If you are interested in JOINING THE MOVEMENT, please help us by dedicating a few hours of your time to becoming a CSI for the Northern California Chapter. For more information, contact Kim Rivers at 415-230-6678 ext. 2012. Don’t miss this opportunity to play a vital role in your Chapter’s success!
NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID Oakland, CA Permit # 804
150 Grand Avenue Oakland, CA 94612