Jul 02, 2009
Southington Teen Claims Adversity Tightened Bonds Of Love
Karen E. Butler, Vice President of Communications
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Southington Teen Claims Adversity Tightened Bonds Of Love
Named 2009 Scholarship Recipient
SOUTHINGTON, Conn. – In 2003 life as she knew it forever changed for 12-year-old Jessica Castonguay. Her mother was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, a potentially debilitating disease, and not long after, her parents’ marriage ended in divorced.
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| Southington residents Jennifer Castonguay and her daughter Jessica Castonguay at the June 8 reception honoring the 2009 Hayley’s Hope & Michaela’s Miracle MS Scholarship recipients. |
“I would be lying if I said that MS hasn’t had a negative impact on my life,” said the now 18-year-old young woman. “My mother’s illness causes her to become extremely fatigued and her she suffers debilitating pain in her arms and legs. Heat has a terrible effect on my mom, exacerbating her symptoms. Before she was diagnosed, our family was involved in many outdoor activities – we were always doing something outside. Not so much since Mom’s diagnosis. The divorce was one more added blow to overcome.”
Castonguay’s mother, Jennifer, has lost all fine sensory feeling in her hands and feet and during and exacerbation, the numbness can spread to the rest of her body. Jennifer Castonguay suffers from debilitating fatigue at times and relies on her daughter and 12-year-old Joshua to help with daily household tasks.
“We don’t have a dishwasher and the heat from dish water causes my mom’s MS to worsen,” explained Castonguay. “So I usually take care of washing up after meals.”
More than 6,000 Connecticut residents, like Jennifer Castonguay, are diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Multiple sclerosis is a potentially debilitating disease affecting the central nervous system. Symptoms are erratic and can include numbness and tingling in the extremities, difficulties with vision and speech, stiffness, fatigues and, in some severe cases, total paralysis. The progress, severity, and specific symptoms of MS in any one person cannot be predicted, and there is no cure.
Multiple sclerosis has also taken a financial toll on the single parent family. Because of the debilitating effects of MS, Jennifer Castonguay can’t work and for years the family barely got by month to month.
“I have a job working nights and weekends,” said Castonguay, who recently graduated from Southington High School. “It helps out. I pay for most of my own things, such as school clothes, fees for activities and my own gas and insurance.”
Castonguay admits that MS has been a challenge for her family but also said that for every storm MS brings, there is a “silver lining” among the clouds.
“Because of MS my mom stays home unable to work,” said Castonguay. “But since she’s home she has been able to give more time to me and my brother. Even though we don’t do as much as we used to, she is still there for us. My strong relationship with my mother is one thing I will always appreciate.”
Castonguay has also stepped up to help support her mother’s battle against multiple sclerosis, assisting with a local MS support group Jennifer leads and joining her mother’s Walk MS fundraising team, the J Walkers.
“I admire the way my mother has handled this disease,” said Castonguay. “She’s turned it around to help others with MS. I look up to her. I want to make a difference too.”
Despite the added responsibility at home and time required for her volunteer work for MS, Castonguay was a member of her high school marching band for four consecutive years. The band was named State Champions two of those four years.
Castonguay plans to attend Tunxis Community College in the fall and after a year, transfer to Johnson & Wales University in Providence, R.I., to pursue a degree in culinary arts. Excelling both in and out of the classroom Castonguay has been named a 2009 Hayley’s Hope and Michaela’s Miracle MS Scholarship recipient. She is just one of just four students statewide receiving such a scholarship. Castonguay and the other scholarship recipients were honored at a June 8 reception and the Country Club in Farmington where Dr. William Petit recognized their achievements.
“I know that Jennifer would be very proud of the scholarships that have been awarded from the Hayley’s Hope and Michaela’s Miracle MS Endowment Fund this year,” said Petit, the husband of Jenifer and father of Hayley and Michaela. “She would be happy to know that these funds raised to honor and remember what Hayley and Michaela worked for are helping those who have MS and whose families are afflicted by MS. The funds awarded these students allow them to go forward to have the chance to direct and enhance their educations and to ‘Be the change they want to see in the world’ as happier and more productive members of society.”
Castonguay expressed gratitude and said the scholarship will ease the financial burden associated pursuing a college diploma. At the June 5 reception Connecticut Chapter president Lisa Gerrol expressed her admiration for this year’s award recipients.
“We are delighted to present this scholarship to Jessica,” stated Lisa Gerrol,
Connecticut Chapter president. “In addition to her academic achievement, Jessica has demonstrated outstanding compassion and determination in dealing with the challenges faced by emotionally and physically supporting a loved one affected by MS.”
Despite strong grades and exceptional community outreach, Castonguay is modest, attributing her success to the values her mother has instilled. Her mother is proud and pleased.
“Given our circumstances it would have been easy for Jessica to succumb to the negative peer pressure at school,” said Jennifer Castonguay. “It isn’t easy to deal with the stress of undergirding a family member living with chronic illness. But Jessica has remained strong and compassionate. For that I am grateful and happy.”
The Hayley’s Hope and Michaela’s Miracle MS Scholarship is made possible through the Hayley’s Hope and Michaela’s Miracle MS Memorial Fund. The fund was established in 2007 by the Petit family to honor the memory of Jennifer Hawke-Petit, who had MS, and her daughters Hayley and Michaela. College scholarships are offered annually to vocational, technical or college-bound high school seniors diagnosed with multiple sclerosis or applicants whose parent has multiple sclerosis. For more information, please contact the Connecticut Chapter at 860-913-2550 or visit www.ctfightsMS.org.
7/2/09
Karen E. Butler
Vice President / Communications
work: +1 860.714.2300, ext. 230
cell: +1 860.997.4487
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