MS Awareness
ROTARY DISTRICT 9800
M.S. AWARENESS COMMITTEE
ROTARIAN ACTION GROUP FOR MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS AWARENESS
CHAIRMAN: Martin Taurins [The Rotary Club of Gisborne Inc.]
P.O. BOX 36, MACEDON VIC. 3440
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease of the central nervous system that affects the brain and the spinal cord. When a person has MS, the covering that protects the nerves gets damaged and scars form. As messages travel from the brain, they sometimes get stuck or slowed down by the scars. When this happens, other parts of the body can't always do what the brain is telling them to do. Symptoms include difficulties with mobility, vision, speech, memory and profound fatigue. At its most virulent, MS is a totally debilitating disease and sufferers become wheelchair bound, totally dependent on their carers. MS generally affects people aged between 17 and 50 years, three quarters of which are women. Statistics indicate there are approximately 2800 Victorians, 16,000 Australians and approximately 2.5 million people world wide living with the challenge of MS. The causes of MS are not known and there is, as yet, no cure. The total financial cost of MS in Australia is over $600 million a year, which is only partly funded by State and Federal governments.
Past Achievements:
We provided seed funding in 2003 (approx $45,000) for the Australian MS Longitudinal Study (AMSLS) under the guidance of Doctor Rex Simmons at the Australian National University in Canberra. The study is a nationwide project where people with MS are recruited to fill out surveys on different topics at different times in the year and is designed to facilitate new research of importance and potential benefit to people with MS and their families.
In 2005 we financed (airfare and living costs) a vocational exchange with a nurse from India. She spent a week with the MS Society of Victoria (which is considered to be one of the World's best practice for MS client care). This was a successful project as she learnt a lot, has taken her knowledge back to India and is training nurses from the 11 MS Societies in India. Early in 2006 we facilitated and paid for a vocational exchange by a member of the MS Society of Japan to travel to the MS Society in Melbourne (similar to above Indian exchange). This also was very successful.
We provide computers for low income people with MS to access the internet and email. For many people with MS, this may be the only sort of regular social activity that they can undertake.
We are contributing to the funding of a young science student to do her Ph.D.,[in partnership with the Australian Rotary Health Research Fund (ARHRF), and the University of Melbourne's Howard Florey Institute], in the field of Brain Repair in MS; now in her third year.
The Future:
Proceeds from our fund-raising activities will go towards projects including:
- Continue to assist Doctor Rex Simmons at the Australian National University in Canberra for the Austra
- Continue funding the PhD Student in her field of research in brain repair in MS
- Continue providing computers and other needs to low income people with MS
- Holding MS awareness forums at every Rotary District (Victoria) Conference, and annual Rot
- Continuing our close association with the Australian Rotary Health Research Fund to sponsor research into Multiple Sclerosis.
For further information on The Rotary Action Group for Multiple Sclerosis Awareness - Click here
