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Glastonbury Student Receives National MS Society Scholarship

June 8, 2015

GLASTONBURY, Conn. – Alexa Morin, of Glastonbury, has been named to receive a National MS Society, Connecticut Chapter, Monteiro Family Scholarship.

Morin, 18, a graduate of Glastonbury High School, plans to attend Lehigh University, in Bethlehem, Penn.  

A very mature and involved individual, Morin has already begun working part-time at a law firm, exploring her interest in the field. 

“Initially, I wanted to start a part-time job so I could gain some financial independence and not have to ask my parents for money when I wanted to do something with my friends, and I have always enjoyed politics so a law firm seemed like a good place to start,” said Morin. “After working for a year, my interest in this field has really been sparked and has driven me to pursue a career in law.”

That strong start to her career seems to be a stark contrast to how Morin began her scholarship essay, discussing how she used to feel embarrassed and sad about her father's limitations.

“When I was a kid, I had this idea that my dad’s MS had a direct correlation on how people looked at me. I remember feeling confused and embarrassed a lot, but now when I think about how I reacted and all the things he did for me that I took for granted it leaves a pit in my stomach,” she said.

"He went from playing college football to having to sell the family company; he was not only physically impacted but mentally too."

"I just wanted a dad like those of my peers." 

More than 6,500 Connecticut residents, like Morin’s father, live with multiple sclerosis, a potentially debilitating disease. The cause is unknown and there is currently no cure. Symptoms can include numbness in the limbs, difficulties with vision and speech, stiffness, loss of mobility and, in some more severe cases, total paralysis. The progress, severity and specific symptoms of MS in any one person cannot be predicted. And as a child, that is often very difficult to understand, and explain to others.

“Now I treasure all of these moments instead of being embarrassed by them." 

Morin was recognized by the National MS Society, Connecticut Chapter, at its annual Hayley’s Hope and Michaela’s Miracle MS Memorial Scholarship Reception, which was held at the Country Club of Farmington, Thursday, June 4. She is one of 30 students receiving a 2015 scholarship from the National MS Society, Connecticut Chapter.

As a recipient of the Monteiro Family Scholarship, Morin plans to become a strong and successful lawyer that young girls can look up to. 

The Monteiro Family Scholarship was made possible through the generous support of National MS Society, Connecticut Chapter board member Frank Monteiro. 

Information for the 2016-17 school year scholarships will be available on the National MS Society website on October 1st. For more information on MS or for additional information on 2015 MS scholarship criteria, please contact the Connecticut Chapter at 860.913.2550 or visit www.ctfightsMS.org.

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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