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The Connecticut-Rhode Island Chapter works to improve the quality of life for people affected by MS in Connecticut and Rhode Island raise funds for critical MS research. Join the movement toward a world free of MS.

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2011 Annual Meeting and Awards Ceremony

April 4, 2012

On March 11, the Connecticut Chapter held its 2011 Annual Meeting and Awards Ceremony. Mike Stacy, co-host of Alan, Mike and Allison in the Morning on Lite 100.5 WRCH, served as master of ceremonies for the event, which also featured children’s author Laura Backman. Backman and her friend, Lemon the duck, who has a neurological disorder similar to MS, shared their story of living life in the face of disability. Jeffrey Kocsis, M.D., shared the latest in MS research.

On March 11, the Connecticut Chapter held its 2011 Annual Meeting and Awards Ceremony. Mike Stacy, co-host of Alan, Mike and Allison in the Morning on Lite 100.5 WRCH, served as master of ceremonies for the event, which also featured children’s author Laura Backman. Backman and her friend, Lemon the duck, who has a neurological disorder similar to MS, shared their story of living life in the face of disability. Jeffrey Kocsis, M.D., shared the latest in MS research.

Madison and Lemon
At the 2011 National MS Society, Connecticut Chapter,  Annual Meeting and Awards Ceremony, held Sunday, March 11, at the Rocky Hill Marriott in Rocky Hill, ten-year-old Madison Stanchick, Manchester, poses with Lemon the Duck and her owner Laura Backman. Stanchick attended the annual meeting with her grandmother, Elizabeth Flood, 60, who also lives in Manchester. Flood was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2004. Children’s book author and kindergarten teacher Laura Backman served as keynote speaker, sharing her personal connection to multiple sclerosis and speaking about living life to the fullest in the face of disability. She is the owner of Lemon the Duck, a pekin duck who was hatched six years ago in Backman’s kindergarten class. Lemon, who is disabled, was born with a neurological disease similar to multiple sclerosis. Lemon cannot sit or stand on her own. Backman, whose father battled a progressive form of multiple sclerosis, has designed several assistive devices to help Lemon with mobility. In 2008, Backman, who lives in Portsmouth, R.I.,  authored the children’s book, Lemon the Duck. The awards ceremony also featured a breakout session for children, which included a meet and greet with Lemon, a, book reading by Laura Backman and photo opportunities with Backman and Lemon the Duck. For more information on Laura Backman and Lemon the Duck, visit www.lemontheduck.com. For more information on multiple sclerosis, its effects and the many ways to help make a difference, visit www.ctfightsMS.org.

 

Luceros
Cynthia Guiterrez, her husband, Eddie, and their son, Roberto, pose with Lemon the Duck at the 2011 National MS Society, Connecticut Chapter,  Annual Meeting and Awards Ceremony, held Sunday, March 11, at the Rocky Hill Marriott in Rocky Hill. Eddie, who lives with his family inTrumbull, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2006. The Guiterrez family attended the annual meeting with more than 200 other guests. The Guiterrez family supports the National MS Society, Connecticut Chapter, helping to raise awareness about MS and participating each year with their G Team fundraising team at the Travelers Walk MS, which this year will take place at 12 sites, including StanfordWestport and Danbury, Sunday, April 22. For more information on Laura Backman and Lemon the Duck, visit www.lemontheduck.com. For more information on the 2012 Travelers Walk MS, presented by North American Power, visitwww.ctfightsMS.org.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

WH couple
West Hartford residents Phillip Gripp and Jean Cormier pose with Lemon the Duck at the 2011 National MS Society, Connecticut Chapter,  Annual Meeting and Awards Ceremony, held Sunday, March 11, at the Rocky Hill Marriott in Rocky Hill. Gripp, a retired lawyer who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1983, and Cormier, who retired from The Travelers Companies several years ago, attended with more than 200 other guests. Gripp and Cormier met in the late 1980s when Cormier volunteered at the National MS Society, Connecticut Chapter’s, MS Vacation Week where Gripp was a camper. The pair were instrumental in the formation of the Travelers Walk MS team, on which they still participate each year in West Hartford. This year’s Travelers Walk MS will take place Sunday, April 22, at 12 sites across the state, including the University of Connecticut at West Hartford. For more information on Laura Backman and Lemon the Duck, visit www.lemontheduck.com. For more information on the 2012 Travelers Walk MS, presented by North American Power, visit www.ctfightsMS.org.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sue Tukey
From left to right: Lisa Gerrol, president, National MS Society, Connecticut Chapter; Susan Tukey, East Hartford; state Rep. Henry Genga, East Hartford; and Mike Stacy, co-host of Alan, Mike and Allison in the Morning on Lite 100.5 WRCH, pose at the 2011 Connecticut Chapter Awards Ceremony and Annual Meeting at the Hartford Marriott Rocky Hill. Tukey received the Outstanding Chapter Volunteer Award for her support of Walk MS, Bike MS and many other chapter events, and was also presented a citation from Rep. Genga.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

Dina Berlyn
From left to right: Lisa Gerrol, president, National MS Society, Connecticut Chapter; Dina Berlyn, Hartford; and Mike Stacy, co-host of Alan, Mike and Allison in the Morning on Lite 100.5 WRCH, pose at the 2011 Connecticut Chapter Awards Ceremony and Annual Meeting at the Hartford Marriott Rocky Hill. Berlyn received the Outstanding Advocacy Volunteer Award, is a member of the chapter’s Government Relations Committee and is the Executive Aide & Counsel to Martin M. Looney, Majority Leader of the Connecticut State Senate.In 2011, Dina worked with Senator Looney and introduced Senate Bill 21, An Act Concerning Health Insurance Coverage for Routine Patient Care Costs for Certain Clinical Trial Patients. The bill was signed by Governor Malloy on July 13, 2011 and became Public Act 11-172. The legislation requires health insurance plans to cover routine patient care costs for people in clinical trials. It also requires that health plans provide coverage for off-label prescriptions drug coverage for people with serious illnesses.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

Don Clady
From left to right: Lisa Gerrol, president, National MS Society, Connecticut Chapter; Don Clady, New Milford; and Mike Stacy, co-host of Alan, Mike and Allison in the Morning on Lite 100.5 WRCH, pose at the 2011 Connecticut Chapter Awards Ceremony and Annual Meeting at the Hartford Marriott Rocky Hill. Clady, a longtime supporter of the Connecticut Chapter and publisher of Connecticut Cruise News, received the Outstanding Media Partner Award along with the publication.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

Emma Asante
From left to right: Lisa Gerrol, president, National MS Society, Connecticut Chapter; Emma Asante, West Hartford; and Mike Stacy, co-host of Alan, Mike and Allison in the Morning on Lite 100.5 WRCH, pose at the 2011 Connecticut Chapter Awards Ceremony and Annual Meeting at the Hartford Marriott Rocky Hill. Asante, who works as community projects director with NBC Connecticut and whose brother lives with MS, received the Outstanding Media Liaison Award for her help assisting the Connecticut Chapter to record public service announcements and place MS spokespeople on NBC Connecticut to promote fundraising events and raise awareness on MS.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

Kevin O'Connell
From left to right: Lisa Gerrol, president, National MS Society, Connecticut Chapter; Kevin O’Connell, West Hartford; and Mike Stacy, co-host of Alan, Mike and Allison in the Morning on Lite 100.5 WRCH, pose at the 2011 Connecticut Chapter Awards Ceremony and Annual Meeting at the Hartford Marriott Rocky Hill. O’Connell received the Outstanding Do It Yourself Fundraising Event Award. In 2006, O’Connell, a member of the Hartford Wanderers rugby club, created a Do It Yourself Fundraising event – the Santa Charity Pub Tour. Each year, hundreds of Santas descend upon downtown Hartford for the annual pub crawl, spreading Christmas cheer while raising money for MS. The event reaches its climax when the group of Santas make their annual run down Pratt Street. In its six years the event has raised nearly $18,000 for the chapter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

Cameron
From left to right: Lisa Gerrol, president, National MS Society, Connecticut Chapter; Cameron Gregory, 8, West Hartford; and Mike Stacy, co-host of Alan, Mike and Allison in the Morning on Lite 100.5 WRCH, pose at the 2011 Connecticut Chapter Awards Ceremony and Annual Meeting at the Hartford Marriott Rocky Hill. Gregory, a third-grader at Webster Hill School in West Hartford received the Hayley and Michaela Petit MS Youth Award.In 2010, a then 6-year-old Cameron formed his own Walk MS team, The MS Super Kids, in honor of his friend Brandon Roy’s mother, who has MS. In two years, Gregory’s team has raised more than $2,700.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jennifer Cox
From left to right: Lisa Gerrol, president, National MS Society, Connecticut Chapter; Jennifer Cox,Hartford; and Mike Stacy, co-host of Alan, Mike and Allison in the Morning on Lite 100.5 WRCH, pose at the 2011 Connecticut Chapter Awards Ceremony and Annual Meeting at the Hartford Marriott Rocky Hill. Cox, an attorney Cox and Osowiecki in Hartford, received the Norman Cohn Hope Award, the society’s highest volunteer award given by a chapter. In a leadership capacity, Cox has served as chairperson, immediate past chair and vice chairperson of the Connecticut chapter’s board of trustees.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Connecticut-Rhode Island Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society

The Connecticut Chapter strives to provide knowledge and assistance to help people with MS and their families maintain the highest possible quality of life. These goals are achieved through vital national and local programs.

About Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis is an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system that disrupts 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 leading to better understanding and 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 2.3 million people worldwide.

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