Jul 30, 2009
Women Against MS Leadership Luncheon Announces Keynote Speaker Wendy Booker
The Eastern North Carolina Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society is excited to announce the 5th annual Women Against MS Leadership Luncheon (WAMS) will host Wendy Booker as its keynote speaker. The event is scheduled for Tuesday, November 17 at the Embassy Suites in Cary.
For the past four years, the luncheon has attracted the Triangle’s top community leaders for an afternoon of awareness and fundraising. The vision of WAMS is to bring together a strong body of women to fight a disease that primarily impacts women, and to raise critical funds to support related research, education and programs.
The luncheon, scheduled from 12-1:30 p.m., will feature Wendy Booker as keynote speaker. Wendy is on a mission to become the first person with multiple sclerosis to climb the highest mountain on each of the seven continents. Wendy was close to her dream with one of the Seven Summits remaining: Mt. Everest. However, due to the flu, severe storms and escalating MS symptoms, she and her team came to the decision to not try for the summit in May. While disappointing, Wendy is not ready to give up. She has pledged to return to Nepal in the spring of 2010 to complete her mission.
Wendy’s story is about overcoming obstacles, with motivation, through a journey to self discovery. She will address the struggles and barriers one encounters while living with MS but suggests to focus on overcoming these obstacles and believing in oneself. "I use mountains as metaphors for the obstacles we all encounter in life," says Booker. “I want to inspire others - especially young people - not to see obstacles as mountains in their way, but more as challenges to 'climb' over and around. We all have such 'mountains' in our lives and we cannot let them stop us.”
Booker’s quest began in June 2004. Wendy has been featured in National Geographic Extreme Explorer, Empowering Women Magazine, the Boston Herald, and many more. She has also appeared on CBS Sunday Morning. Corporate sponsorships are available at the $5,000, $3,000 and $1,500 levels. Each level includes marketing benefits and a table for 10. Individual tax-deductible tickets are $75 each.
Join this movement to create a world free of MS by registering as a table captain or event sponsor today. To learn more about sponsorship opportunities or to purchase tickets, please visit the event page or call 919-792-1002.