Mar 02, 2009
MS Awareness Week Lemonade Stand
Canyon Girl’s Entrepreneurial Spirit Raises Thousands for MS
Amarillo—When life throws you lemons, make lemonade…one Canyon girl is taking that old saying to heart, literally. Nine-year-old Saeje Jameson is selling lemonade, and one cup at a time, raising money to support those in our area living with multiple sclerosis.
Saeje’s aunt was diagnosed with MS several years ago. After seeing her aunt’s struggles, Saeje decided to take action. She and her mom contacted the Panhandle Office of the National MS Society about having a lemonade stand at Walk MS. So, on April 18, Saeje will set up shop with an old fashioned lemonade stand, and accept donations in exchange for a cup of the sweet stuff.
And in the meantime, she’s doing her part to spread the word about Walk MS. Next week, March 2 through 8, is MS Awareness Week—a time to make the entire community more aware about MS and the difficulties of those who live with it. Saeje will set up shop and sell lemonade on Saturday, March 7 at the Wal-Mart Supercenter at 45th and Coulter from 2 to 4 pm. Saeje will be available for interviews and would love to share her story with all of the Panhandle.
And Saeje isn’t just sweetening lives locally. Her idea is finding tang across the country. Saeje’s Facebook page promoting her cause now has 167 members from all over the country. And already, this one little girl has raised more than $2,000 toward her goal of $2,500. You can find Saeje on Facebook at http://apps.facebook.com/causes/211392?m=1b2abeb2&recruiter_id=23564983 , or visit her page on the National MS Society’s website.
She also hopes other kids will decide to give everyone’s favorite childhood business a try and raise money for their favorite cause.
MS is a chronic and disabling disease of the central nervous system. Symptoms range from numbness and blindness to paralysis. There is no cure and the cause is unknown. But thanks to fundraising efforts, research is making great progress.
Locally, the Panhandle Office of the National MS Society offers a number of programs and services to support those living with MS, as well as their families and
caregivers. Financial assistance is also available for those who qualify, and requests for it are received weekly.
Thanks to significant advances in research, the FDA has approved several treatments that may alter the underlying disease course of multiple sclerosis, and early treatment is critically important. People with MS should consult their doctors about using one of these FDA-approved medications and other effective treatments for the symptoms of MS. If you or someone you know has MS, contact the National Multiple Sclerosis Society at 1-800-344-4867 or www.nationalmssociety.org for more information.
For more information on MS, the Panhandle office or to set up an interview, please call April Brownlee at 806-468-8005, ext 26.