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Jun 15, 2009

Mid America Chapter Awards Three Scholarships

This year, the National MS Society awarded a total of $1,021,600 to 510 scholars across the nation. The scholarship program began in 2003 and has continued to grow year after year. If you are interested in sponsoring the program locally, please contact us at 1-800-344-4867 and press 2.

Local Recipients

The Mid America Chapter awarded three scholarships in 2009. Megan Sees of Walnut Grove, Mo., Christy Wilckens of Concordia, Mo., and Zachary Poskin of Lenexa, Kan. will each receive $1000 to continue their education from the National MS Society.  You can learn more about MS and their experiences through their own words.

"My mother's multiple sclerosis isn’t getting any better. Each year just gets worse… I stay home with her as much as I can. Her MS has affected everyone in our family’s lives… It has affected our family financially and emotionally. I couldn’t imagine living life without my mother. I love my family more than life itself. What I wish for more than anything is that someday there will be a cure for MS. Until then, all we can do is be supportive and pray that someday, someone will find that cure."
-Megan Sees

"My father was diagnosed with MS when I was young and has not been able to work. We still don’t have any extra money for financial breathing room. I help my father out and pay my bills on time. I work hard to make sure my father lives comfortably, and he is always there for me also. His MS has affected our lives dramatically. He lost his left eye, has horrible vertigo, and sometimes, his body goes completely numb. I hate to see him go through pain and agony because he is such a good person."
-Christy Wilckens

"My dad first described his multiple sclerosis to me when I was about six years old. He explained it through a metaphor, comparing brain signals in his body with my daily path to school, and the scarring of multiple sclerosis with construction blocking the route. As time went on, more construction would block more paths I could take, making my commute longer and more difficult; the same would happen to brain signals attempting to send signals through his body. Through this metaphor, I learned why my dad was becoming more fatigued at nights… and that soon, I would have to step up and take on more responsibilities."
-Zachary Poskin

Eligibility for 2010

High school seniors or graduates that have MS or a parent with MS and who will be attending an accredited post secondary school for the first time next fall are eligible.

Applications and information can be downloaded at www.nationalmssociety.org/scholarship beginning in October 2009. Or call us at 1-800-344-4867 and press 1 to receive a copy by mail. Completed applications are due January 15, 2010.

For help with filling out the form, contact Scholarship America, a non-profit organization that receives and screens the applications, at 1-800-537-4180, ext. 471.

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