About MSAA

The Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA) is a national nonprofit organization and leading resource for the entire MS community, improving lives today through vital services and support. MSAA provides free programs and services, such as: a Helpline with trained specialists; award-winning publications, including, The Motivator; MSAA’s nationally recognized website, featuring educational videos, webinars, and research updates; a mobile phone app, My MS Manager™; safety and mobility equipment products; cooling accessories for heat-sensitive individuals; MRI funding; My MSAA Community, a peer-to-peer online support forum; MS Conversations blog; a clinical trial search tool; podcasts; and more. For additional information, please visit www.mymsaa.org or call (800) 532-7667.

Proud Memories

By Bonnie Lynn Ellison

May is a good time to reflect on myself, and what my younger self would be proud of. When I was young, I thought life was a rodeo! I competed in the National Little Britches Rodeo from 8 to 18 years old, and was proud of my ribbons, buckles, and trophies! I learned, if you got thrown off, you got back on the horse!

When I was young, I also played my guitar and sang in talent shows, from 7th grade through high school. In college, I performed with the FAB Company. We toured nationally in the early 1970’s, recorded four albums, and were contracted with the major international talent agency, William Morris. I’m proud that we wrote our own original music, songs, and comedy. We did concerts! I thought I was Taylor Swift!

I fell in love, got married, and two years later, I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. I was 25. It affected me like a stroke, on the right side of my body. I had never heard of this disease, so it was like an old rodeo injury to me. It took about three years to recover enough to write, sing, and perform again. And there were no assurances that it wouldn’t return. I had always been athletic and healthy. It was shocking for me, and a struggle.

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Yesterday’s Seeds; Today’s Garden!

By Nana Opong-Owusu

They say the habits, values, and choices we’ve planted in our past, shape the garden we stand in today — the decisions we’ve made, the habits we’ve formed, the passions we’ve nurtured, and the values we’ve carried quietly in our hearts. I didn’t appreciate these types of thoughts as a child, but as an adult I oftentimes find myself reflecting.

Growing up, I was always drawn to movement. Sports weren’t just a hobby — they were a way of life. Whether it was the freedom associated with biking around the city with my childhood friends, the camaraderie of my basketball teams, or the adrenaline of soccer tournaments, exercise and movement have always grounded me. Now as an adult, I see it gave me structure, perseverance, and most importantly, a familiarity with pushing through adversity. But alongside that physical drive, I’ve always carried something else: a caring heart. A giving heart.

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Looking Back, Moving Forward

By Samuel Fitch

This is my first blog post—so I’m hoping readers will extend a little grace. I’m 44 years old at the time of writing, and lately I’ve been reflecting on the last two decades of my life. One question keeps coming to mind: Would my 24-year-old self be proud of the man I’ve become and the career I’ve chosen?

At 24, I was newly married—Jessica and I had tied the knot in 2003. We were less than a year into marriage, expecting our first child, and I was working full-time at my family’s restaurant. We hadn’t bought our first home yet, but I was riding high on love, youth, and big dreams. At the same time, I was still dealing with some self-destructive habits—drinking, gambling—trying to figure out who I wanted to be as an adult.

Fast forward twenty years, and life has taken some sharp, unexpected turns. Jessica and I have grown stronger together. We’re now parents to four incredible children—three daughters and our youngest, a son. But that early vision I had for my career didn’t quite pan out the way I imagined.

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Eileen Dillon – MSAA’s May 2025 Artist of the Month

MSAA features the work of many talented artists affected by multiple sclerosis as part of our annual MSAA Art Showcase. Each month we share these artists’ inspiring stories and beautiful artwork with you as our Artist of the Month. This month, we celebrate Eileen Dillon as May’s Artist of the Month. Eileen is from Castle Rock, CO

“Our First Date”

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Ask the Expert: Dizziness and Vertigo

Featuring Barry A. Hendin, MD 

MSAA’s Chief Medical Officer 

Headshot of doctor Barry Hendin, chief medical officer for MSAA
Barry Hendin, MD

Question: How do tremors with MS differ and what types of treatments help?

Answer: Dizziness and vertigo are common in the general population and even more common in people with MS. More than half of people with MS will experience dizziness or vertigo at some point.

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Spring Presents

By Stacie Prada

Without changes in routines or seasonal differences, it’s easy to lose track of time, day of the week, month, and even time of year. It’s good to have consistent healthy habits, but variety in schedule, activities, and environment helps us mark time.

Consider driving a long stretch of highway. They have names for the experience of driving a distance, losing track of time, and being surprised not to remember it: highway hypnosis and white line fever.

The more monotonous an experience, the less alert we’ll be, and we become more apt to operate on autopilot. It’s a small leap to compare this to our lives and how we experience time passing. The less we notice and the more we operate on autopilot, the more time can fly by.

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April Palmer – MSAA’s April 2025 Artist of the Month

MSAA features the work of many talented artists affected by multiple sclerosis as part of our annual MSAA Art Showcase. Each month we share these artists’ inspiring stories and beautiful artwork with you as our Artist of the Month. This month, we celebrate April Palmer as April’s Artist of the Month. April is from Holstein, IA.

“Lady Bug in Spring”

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Volunteer Opportunities at MSAA

MSAA is proud to serve the MS community in our mission of Improving Lives Today. As a national nonprofit organization with a small staff team, volunteers are the backbone of our organization giving of their time and talents to support MSAA’s mission. To fundraise, raise awareness, and ultimately fulfill our mission, we rely heavily on our incredible volunteers. Whether sitting on our Board of Directors, sitting on an event committee, helping at in-person at events, or fundraising to support MSAA, we truly couldn’t do what we do without our volunteers.

We have volunteer opportunities available throughout the year and welcome anyone interested in volunteering to complete our Volunteer Interest Form here. Some volunteer opportunities include joining our Executive Committee; hosting a Women of Action Luncheon; helping with day of event logistics such as registration, setup and breakdown, and greeting guests; creating a DIY event, and more!

More information on some of our key volunteer opportunities can be found below. If you have any questions about volunteer opportunities, please contact volunteer@mymsaa.org.

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MS Awareness Month Program Highlight: MSAA Podcast Episodes

As MSAA continues to highlight MS Awareness Month this March through the campaign theme of “Empowered from the Start with MSAA,” our efforts to raise awareness and provide vital support to the MS community remains our priority. This month specifically, we are spotlighting both educational and supportive resources that may be of use to those who are newly diagnosed and navigating their MS journey. With this in mind, MSAA would like to present one of the many free resources available to the community – MSAA’s Podcast.

This month, MSAA has released a three-part podcast series titled, “If I Knew Then: Reflecting on an MS Diagnosis.” This special series highlights expert insights for newly diagnosed individuals, as well as the personal stories and experiences from community members with MS.

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MS Awareness Month Program Highlight: My MSAA Community

As we continue to highlight MS Awareness Month this March, the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA) remains dedicated to raising awareness of multiple sclerosis while also providing vital resources and support for the community. MSAA recognizes that this month is especially powerful for the MS community as we reflect on how far we’ve come, the challenges that remain, and the importance of supporting one another. In honor of this special time, MSAA would like to bring attention to the many free programs and services offered that are designed to improve the quality of life for those affected by MS. One of the many free tools MSAA provides is My MSAA Community, a peer-to-peer online forum for individuals with MS.

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