Sunday, February 15, 2009

Dead Reds Wake 4 supports MS: what is MS and why should you help.




As you know, last event we raised dollars and donated to Movember and Cancer research. This time round we have selected "MS" as our charity. Here's a special message from the MS Foundation... to us.

http://www.ms.asn.au/default.asp

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What is MS and why should you help.

Multiple Sclerosis is a disease that involves the gradual destruction of the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) by the bodies own immune system.

MS is the most common neurological condition affecting young Australians with diagnosis occurring in people between the ages of 20 and 40, however in 2007 and 2008 we had diagnosis occur in children as young as 12. The average is that out of every four diagnosis’s 3 will be women.

MS is random in the effect that it can have on a person from almost unnoticeable to very aggressive with a high level of disability. MS is not only physical it is also cognitive; this leads to the need to often re-educate on movements, processes and general tasks.

The impact of MS not only affects the person with the diagnosis but also the family, as they may have to change work and social behaviours to care for their child, partner or in many cases a child will have to provide care to their parent, a responsibility that changes their childhood.

The Society provides low or no cost services to people and families living with MS, the cost of these services equates to approximately one point two million dollars per year. The South Australian Government provide only 4% of our funding, the rest of our income derives from our 6 lotteries that we hold over the year, fund raising events, charity partners and most recently the development of our community fund raising.

Services provided by the Society are occupational therapy, physiotherapy, nursing, social work, counseling, and exercise programs such as hydrotherapy, theravitals and movement classes and rehabilitation.

The Society strives to continue to improve the services and facilities we can offer clients, families and carers to ease the impact on their quality of life.

Donations and support go a long way in assisting with this aim.

Here's the event details again:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=42622196321


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