NEW LOCAL SUPPORT GROUP FOR PEOPLE WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS
EAST BOSTON- Individuals who have multiple sclerosis have a new local support group. The East Boston MS Self-Help Group meets the second Wednesday of every month, from 6:30 – 8:30 P.M. at the East Boston Social Center, located at 68 Central Square in East Boston. The group’s first meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 14th. Formally affiliated with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Central New England Chapter, the group is free and welcomes individuals who have MS, and their family members and caregivers. Group Leader Annette Puccino is available by telephone, 617-561-5850, to talk with anyone who is interested in attending.
"It’s a great way for me to deal with the frustrations of having this disease. Everyone in the group understands what it’s like. We just talk and it’s okay," is a common sentiment by group members.
MS self-help group leaders are volunteers, who have MS and are trained by the National MS Society to provide opportunities for people living with multiple sclerosis, their family members, and their friends to meet with others who are affected by the disease. The group meeting is a safe setting to share common experiences and concerns, to give and receive emotional support, and to obtain MS-related information from peers and from guest professional speakers.
Multiple sclerosis is a chronic, sometimes disabling neurologic disease that affects the central nervous system, causing unpredictable and possibly severe symptoms, including fatigue, blurred vision, and loss of mobility. Commonly diagnosed between ages 20 and 50, about two-thirds of the 400,000 people in the US who have MS are women.
Studies show that early and ongoing treatment with an FDA-approved therapy can reduce future disease activity and improve quality of life for many people with multiple sclerosis. The National MS Society’s medical advisors recommend that people with MS talk with their health care professionals about using these medications and about effective strategies and treatments to manage symptoms. If you or someone you know has MS, please contact the National MS Society at www.nationalmssociety.org or 1-800-FIGHT-MS (344-4867) to learn more.
The Central New England Chapter provides help for today, and hope for tomorrow to 17,000 individuals who have MS in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont, using 85 percent of Chapter contributions to fund MS education, support, advocacy, and research. If you have questions about MS, please call 1 800 344-4867, or visit www.MSnewengland.org.
