May 20, 2009
Take Your (Lemonade) Stand Against MS on Saturday, May 30
People with MS and their family members and friends are registered to host more than 100 different lemonade stands in various neighborhoods on Saturday, May 30, in a first-time-ever, fund-raiser called “The Stand Against MS.”
Richard Israel, chapter president, said that neighborhoods, schools, churches and service clubs and organizations are participating with lemonade stands that will be open at various times on May 30. A partial list of times and locations, along with information on how to start your own lemonade stand, can be viewed at www.standagainstMS.com.
“We are encouraging people to take a stand against MS with a lemonade stand,” Israel said. “This is an outstanding opportunity for entire families to support a worthwhile cause that’s close to home. Our goal is to help raise awareness and funds toward a world free of multiple sclerosis. We’re hoping that each stand can raise $300, and prizes will be available for top fund-raisers.”
The Stand Against MS is being held in honor of World MS Day, which is Wednesday, May 27; learn more www.worldmsday.org. For more information about hosting a lemonade stand, as well as sponsorship information, contact Heather Cavazos at (760) 448-8446, or via e-mail at standMS@mspacific.org.
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About Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis interrupts the flow of information within the brain and between the body and stops people from moving. Every hour in the United States, someone is newly diagnosed with MS, an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system. Symptoms range from numbness and tingling to blindness and paralysis. 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 with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, with more at least two to three times more women than men being diagnosed with the disease. MS affects more than 400,000 people in the U.S., and 2.1 million worldwide.
About the National Multiple Sclerosis Society
MS stops people from moving. The National MS Society exists to make sure it doesn’t. We help each person address the challenges of living with MS. Last year alone, through our national office and 50-state network of chapters, we devoted over $136 million to programs that enhanced more than one million lives. Locally, the Pacific South Coast Chapter provides programs and services designed to help the 18,000 people and families affected by MS in San Diego, Orange and Imperial counties move their lives forward. To move us closer to a world free of MS, the Society also invested approximately $50 million to support 440 research projects around the world. Nearly $4 million is spent on MS research in our area annually. We are people who want to do something about MS NOW. Join the movement at www.nationalMSsociety.org.
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 www.nationalMSsociety.org or 1-800-344-4867 (1-800-FIGHT-MS).
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