2009 Scholarship Recipients

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CONTACT: Anne Krishnan
215-271-1500 or anne.krishnan@pae.nmss.org

GREATER DELAWARE VALLEY CHAPTER OF THE NATIONAL MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS SOCIETY ANNOUNCES 2009 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
Eight students in region awarded scholarships to support educational goals

PHILADELPHIA— The Greater Delaware Valley Chapter of the National MS Society has awarded scholarships to eight local students through its annual scholarship program.

The program helps students affected by multiple sclerosis pursue a college or technical school education. It is open to high school seniors who live with MS or have a parent who does; or anybody living with MS who has not yet been to a post-secondary school.

In addition to the emotional toll, MS can have a substantial financial impact on a family. Including lost wages, the direct and indirect costs of MS — even for those with health insurance — are estimated at more than $30,000 annually, or $2.2 million over a lifetime. This makes funding a college education that much harder.

Many of the scholars from the Greater Delaware Valley have served as caregivers for their parents with MS after school, on weekends and during the summer. Despite these responsibilities, they have earned good grades, participated in extracurricular activities, held jobs and fundraised for others with MS. One recipient is living with MS herself.

“To me, my dad is the ultimate hero,” said Therese Urbonas, a scholarship recipient from Brigantine, N.J. “Watching my dad over the past seventeen years has taught me to be determined, courageous, strong, caring, grateful, independent, humorous and mindful of the fact that life isn’t always fair and to face whatever challenges or obstacles you may come across head on and with your head held high.”

2009 Scholarship Recipients

James A. Churgai
Phoenixville, Pa.
Phoenixville Area High School