Jun 05, 2009
Scholarship Winners Announced
All America Chapter, Panahndle Office announces local scholarship award.
One student in Canyon awarded scholarship to support educational goals.
[Amarillo, TX]— The All America Chapter, Panhandle Office of the National MS Society has announced this year’s recipient of its annual Scholarship Program: Calie Havlik, a 2009 graduate of Canyon High School has been awarded a $1,000 scholarship.
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. The direct and indirect costs of MS, including lost wages — 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.
Upon hearing of her award, Calie stated that having MS has made her realize she has a desire to spend her life helping others. She wants to become a pharmacist and will enroll in the pre-pharmacy program at WTAMU to obtain a bachelor’s degree in chemistry. She realizes without the help of medication to slow down the progression of MS she would not be where she is today. Her desire is to help people with chronic diseases get medications so they can live as normal of a life as possible.
Program Continues To Grow Across the Country
The Society established its scholarship program six years ago, and it immediately became a source of great encouragement for families concerned that MS might put college out of reach. This year, 509 awards totaling $1,021,600 were presented nationwide. Applications are evaluated on financial need, academic record, leadership and volunteer activities, a statement of educational and career goals, and letters of recommendation. Applicants are also asked to provide a personal statement describing the impact MS has had on their life. Scholarships range from $1,000 to $3,000 and typically cover one year.
“For the Havlik family and the hundreds of thousands diagnosed with MS across the country, there are very few known sources of scholarship assistance specially targeted for these families,” said All America Chapter President, Pam McElrath. “MS shouldn’t stand in the way of an education, and we are hopeful this program will give families some relief.”
Information about scholarships for 2010-11 will be available on the National MS Society Web site beginning on Oct. 1, 2009, and applications will be due by mid-January 2010. For more information, call 1-800-344-4867 or visit www.nationalMSsociety.org.
About Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis, an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system, interrupts the flow of information within the brain, and between the brain and body. 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 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 MS 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. Since its founding in 1946, the Society has allocated more than $550 million to MS research projects around the world. We are people who want to do something about MS NOW. Join the Movement®.
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-FIGHT-MS (344-4867).
Join the Movement is a registered trademark of the National MS Society.