FALL 2014 Pacific South Coast Chapter - HAWAII OFFICE
MS Connection Newsletter A ROARING GOOD TIME TO FIND A CURE AT THE MS AUCTION Page 6
INSIDE 04 THIS ISSUE
TALK STORY GROUPS
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NEW KAUAI TRAVEL GRANT
FOCUSING ON PROGRESSIVE MS
UPCOMING PROGRAMS AND EVENTS
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MS connection: FALL 2014
JOIN THE MOVEMENT
BIKE MS IS A SUCCESS! SAVE THE DATE 2015! August 1st and 2nd ! Sponsored by : Hilton Waikoloa !
MAHALO ! Mahalo Top Teams! Bike Works Team Moto 40 in the 5‐0 Franz and Kelsies A Team Mo’s Mauraders
115 miles… 2 days... $60,000 ! MAHALO TOP FUNDRAISERS!
Michelle Boll Denice Murphy Casey Francis Dganit Shtorch Claire Robinson
Connect with us online: MShawaii.org On the Cover: We have a new event on Oahu at the Pacific Aviation Museum. Learn more about the MS Auction on page 6.
nationalmssociety.org | 1-800-344-4867
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SUPPORTING THE MISSION
BOOK YOUR TRAVEL TO HELP THE CHAPTER Aloha Members! You can help the chapter earn travel credit by booking your travel with Vacations-Hawaii Custom Packages department.
our Loyalty Rewards #2451 or organization name “National MS Society - Hawaii.”
When you’re ready to travel, contact Vacations-Hawaii’s Custom Department at 808-591-4700 or neighbor islands at 800253-4422. When making a booking, refer to
Vacations-Hawaii specializes in group and individual travel, offering competitive fares throughout the US on most major airlines, international travel, cruise packages, disney packages, and more!
National Multiple Sclerosis Society
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.
Pacific South Coast Chapter Hawaii Office 418 Kuwili Street, #105 Honolulu, HI 96817 808-532-0806 Chapter President: Richard V. Israel Editor & Design: Jessica Ishikawa Division Manager: Candice Schwalbach © 2014 National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Pacific South Coast Chapter, Hawaii Division
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: FALL 2014
UPCOMING EVENTS
EMOTIONAL SUPPORT
UPDATE ON THERAPEUTICS
Oahu Windward Talk Story Meeting 3rd Wednesday, 6:00pm - 7:30pm St. John Vianney Parish Community, 920 Keolu Drive, Kailua (Oahu) Parish Office Building Milton McAngus, Group Facilitator 808-728-0200
MARK YOUR CALENDAR Thursday, September 25 10:00am Imiloa Astronomy Center, Hilo Thursday, September 25 5:00pm West Hawaii Civic Center, Kona This program is generously sponsored by Biogen Idec and Questcor.
STRETCH YOUR WAY TO HEALTH Every Wednesday, 12:30-1:30pm Aloha Kula Yoga 38 Kaneohe Bay Drive, Kailua (Oahu) Mats and props available on-site.
Connect with other people affected by MS and share your experiences at MSconnection.org.
TALK STORY GROUPS
Kauai Talk Story Meeting 1st Wednesday, 5:30 - 7:00pm This group travels to different areas of the island each month. Please call Joy for more information at 808 - 635-8065. Joy Ortiz-Zimmer and Laurie Weber, Co-Facilitators Kauai Caregivers The group meets at 5:30pm based on participant availability and communicates regularly through an email thread. Maui Self-Help Group Meeting 3rd Thursday of the month, 5:30pm Kaunoa Senior Citizens Center 401 Alakapa Pl, Paia, HI 96779 Please contact Ellen for more information at 808-250-4630. Ellen Lundquist and Joyce Macdougall, Co-Facilitators
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nationalmssociety.org | 1-800-344-4867
LIVING WITH MS
MAKING TRAVEL FOR DOCTOR VISITS EASIER financial assistance application, liability waiver, and an appointment letter from their physician or health care professional at least 45 days before desired appointment (emergency acceptations will be made on a case by case basis). Please keep in mind that this program is not based on an emergency need.
Having difficulty paying for those needed doctors’ appointments on Oahu? We are launching a pilot program to help subsidize services that address the need for accessible, affordable, and reliable transportation for residents of Kauai with MS to access medical services. Eligible medical appointments may include visits to a neurologist, primary care doctor, mental health professional, or rehabilitation therapist. This service is also available for people living with MS who are in need of transportation to a chapter-sponsored support group or education program. People living with MS on Kauai may submit an application to be considered for assistance Please include confirmation of MS diagnosis,
Only those with a confirmed diagnosis of MS are eligible to receive airfare or motor transit assistance. Once the ticket is purchased, the recipient must contact the airline to make accessibility arrangements. Ground transportation travel within Kauai permits caregivers to ride to and from the approved appointment with clients. Please contact the chapter for the complete list of program rules and limits. This program has been generously funded by Antone and Edene Vidinha Charitable Trust to benefit people living with MS on Kauai. For more information about the Kauai Transportation Program or assistance programs on other islands, please contact us at 808-532-0806.
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MS connection: FALL 2014
FUNDING THE MISSION
JOIN US AT THE MS AUCTION Saturday, August 20 Pacific Aviation Music 6:00pm RSVP today at MSauctionhawaii.org We are putting on the Ritz at this exclusive event, so indulge yourself in a selection of swell silent auction items while you enjoy gourmet food stations sponsored by Chef Will and Gourmet Events Hawaii, amazing wines from R.Field, and a private experience at the museum. You know the joint will be jumpin’ with live music, as you Jitterbug and Charleston late into the night. Check out a sneak peek at some of our amazing silent auction items!
The lucky ticket! Suggested donation for tickets: 1 - $10 | 5 - $40 | 15 - $100
A few package highlights include non-stop roundtrip flights, deluxe hotel accommodations, baggage handling and transportation to your hotel, and daily meal plans.
Tickets are on sale now! You don’t want to miss this amazing event with live music, flight simulators, great food by Chef Will and so much more!
$250 gift certificate to the Design Center
RSVP today at MSauctionhawaii.org
2-night stay in the beautiful Waldorf-Astoria’s Grand Wailea Resort!
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nationalmssociety.org | 1-800-344-4867
RESEARCH
Focusing on progressive MS The achievements of Dr. Barry G.W. Arnason, the 2014 recipient of the Dystel Prize for Multiple Sclerosis Research, are many, and include such significant contributions as laying the groundwork for the development of immune-directed therapies and understanding how the different components of the immune system work in MS. However, some of his discoveries hold particular significance for people with progressive forms of MS.
Understanding progressive MS
Much MS research has focused on the role of T cells, which are a specific type of white blood cell that somehow become turn on the central nervous system and produce damaging inflammation. However, “I don’t think T cells have much to do with progressive MS,” said Dr. Arnason. “I think the problem is activation within the central nervous system of microglial cells, and that activation is the key to potential treatments of progressive MS.” Dr. Arnason made these comments in the opening lecture at the 2012 Annual Meeting of the Consortium of MS Centers in San Diego, while emphasizing that MS research focus more on progressive MS. Dr. Arnason’s research into progressive MS has also helped to uncover evidence that damage to the spinal cord leads to
the increased activity of certain docking sites on immune cells, suggesting a vicious cycle of immune changes, damage and increased immune activation. Along the way, he also contributed to the better understanding of other disorders such as Guillain-Barré syndrome and myasthenia gravis.
Training the future
Dr. Arnason is also planting the seeds for high-quality MS care in the future. His institution, the University of Chicago Medical Center, at which he is the James Nelson & Anna Louise Raymond Professor of Neurology, recently received an Institutional Clinician Training Award from the Society. These awards provide five years of funding to support the establishment of a world-class training program, thereby attracting the best MS clinicians over multiple years. The Dystel Prize is awarded awarded jointly by the National MS Society and the American Academy of Neurology. The award is made possible through a special fund established in 1994 by the late Society National Board member Oscar Dystel and his late wife Marion in honor of their son John Jay, an attorney whose promising career was cut short by progressive disability from MS. To learn more about Dr. Arnason and past Dystel recipients, visit nationalMSsociety.org/dystel.
418 Kuwili Street, #105 Honolulu, HI 96817
mark your
calendars SEPTEMBER 20: 25:
MS Auction: A Roaring Good Time for a Cure - Pacific Aviation Museum, Oahu Update on Therapeutics - Imiloa Astronomy Center, Hilo Update on Therapeutics - West Hawaii Civic Center, Kona
OCTOBER 16:
The Zombie Run - Keopuolani Park, Maui
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