This year marks another anniversary of the Multiple Sclerosis Day at the Capitol, an annual event to educate Colorado’s decision makers and to give a platform to MS activists to express their views in a public domain. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Colorado-Wyoming Chapter, hosted the ‘day at the capitol’ on March 15th, 2011, bringing together its supporters, people living with MS and legislators.
Living with MS is an everyday battle, as this is a life altering disease that affects each person in a unique and different way. Symptoms range from reduced or lost mobility to numbness and tingling to extreme fatigue to blindness and paralysis. But that did not deter the spirit of our constituents. Those affected with this unpredictable disease came out, and brought hope, enthusiasm and a positive attitude. More than thirty MS activists participated on this important day, making a strong presence felt at the Capitol. The message was clear – united we stand.
The same sentiment was echoed by Chapter President – Carrie H. Nolan, who started the event by stressing on the importance of collective conscience in her opening speech. She reminded the constituents on the power of advocacy and in order to combat MS it is important to be a part of the legislative process. We heard from Senator Betty Boyd soon after, who provided some educational insights on issues that could soon become key pieces of the state legislation and have a direct impact on those living with the disease. Senator Boyd had an immediate connection with the audience as she spoke about a bill she has authored, that shields those living with medical conditions from higher electrical rates on their utility bills due to Xcel Energy’s tiered rate program. Senator Boyd also threw light on a bi-partisan bill that will implement Health benefit exchanges in the state of Colorado. We thank Senator Boyd for this informative session and providing an impressive explanation of the bills. We would also like to extend our gratitude to Representative Jim Reisberg, who made a tribute on the floor of the House by acknowledging MS awareness and education week.
One of the main highlights of the day was legislator-constituent engagements. Our constituents enjoyed a personal visit with their respective legislators, briefly introducing them to their views and concerns and handing out informational packets about Multiple Sclerosis. We thank all the legislators for welcoming a dialogue.
We salute our activists and thank them for being part of the MS movement and demonstrating their commitment to this cause. The month of March is the perfect time to join the cause and work towards a world free of MS. It’s time to get started.