LYME, Conn. – Lyme resident Kathy Smith, a longtime supporter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Connecticut Chapter, has been named to receive the Maureen Jessen Volunteer Award.  Smith, a self-employed scientific strategy and business development consultant, will be honored at the 2015 Get Connected MS Luncheon, which will take place Friday, Oct. 30th, at the Connecticut Convention Center in downtown Hartford.

“I became involved with the National MS Society in 2006, about a year after I was diagnosed with the disease,” shared Smith.  “A diagnosis of MS can be scary and I initially wanted to help others with multiple sclerosis better understand the latest advancements in research as often times the data can be overwhelming and complex.  Given my background, in pharmaceutical research & development, I could translate scientific information in a way that would make it easier for others to understand.”

Smith attended MS support group meetings where she would talk about current research and became involved in legislative advocacy, serving as an MS Ambassador. 

She also volunteered at the Society’s largest fundraiser, Walk MS, and then in 2011 Smith decided to “step-it-up” again and formed a team for Challenge Walk MS, a three-day, 50-mile trek across Cape Cod.

“As I learned about all the work the Society does and understood the need for additional research, I wanted to go beyond using my professional skills and start fundraising.  It’s my mission to not only donate my own dollars but to get other people interested and excited about volunteering their time and raising funds for the fight against MS,” explained Smith, whose Challenge Walk team has raised more than $130,000 over the last five years. 

It’s Smith’s generous contributions to the Society, through both research advocacy and fundraising, which have earned her the Maureen Jessen Volunteer Award.

The award is named after Simsbury resident Maureen Jessen who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2001. Jessen, also a longtime supporter of the Society, began serving on the Greater Hartford Women Against MS Luncheon committee 10 years ago.  Renamed “Get Connected MS Luncheon” in 2015, Jessen serves as its committee chair.  Her volunteer work also includes working at the Joyce D. and Andrew J. Mandell MS Center, located on the campus of Mount Sinai Rehabilitation Hospital in Hartford.

More than 6,500 Connecticut residents are affected by multiple sclerosis, a potentially debilitating disease. The cause is unknown and there is currently no cure for MS. Symptoms can include numbness in the limbs, difficulties with vision and speech, stiffness, loss of mobility and, in some more severe cases, total paralysis. The progress, severity, and specific symptoms of MS in any one person cannot be predicted.

“The National MS Society is so fortunate to have Kathy support its mission to create a world free of MS,” said Jessen, who in 2004 received the Chapter’s Volunteer of the Year award. “She is truly dedicated to our cause.  Not only has she given of herself, she has actively recruited many others to raise funds and fight along her side.”

The Maureen Jessen Volunteer Award will be presented Friday, Oct. 30, at the 2015 Get Connected MS Luncheon, in Hartford.   The event begins with a VIP reception with keynote speaker Jean Chatzky, financial editor for the “TODAY Show,” from 11 a.m. – noon followed by lunch and a program from noon until 1:30 p.m.  Guests are encouraged to invite co-workers, friends and family.  The luncheon’s media partner is NBC Connecticut, and Todd Piro, NBC Connecticut Today anchor, will serve as master of ceremonies.  Chatzky, in her keynote address, will share her tips on attaining financial wellness with hundreds of attendees.

Fundraising luncheons, like Get Connected, are held nationwide to increase public awareness of MS and the National MS Society. Funds raised through National MS Society Connecticut Chapter events ensure ongoing scientific research to find better treatments and a cure as well as the continuation of local programs and services offered by the Connecticut Chapter to those it serves.

To register or become a table captain, please visit ctfightsMS.org. For more information on the Get Connected MS Luncheon or to reserve a seat, please call 860-913-2550 or visit ctfightsMS.org.