Resilience

“The best way out is always through.”

Robert Frost

“Life is not a matter of holding good cards,

but of playing a poor hand well.”

– Robert Louis Stevenson

What does it mean to be resilient? The dictionary defines resilience as the power or ability to return to original form, position, etc., after being bent, compressed, or stretched; elasticity.

Life can be like that sometimes. It bends and pressures people, stretches them to their limits, and individuals continue to fight back and react to things even stronger than before. So what does being resilient mean to you? What motivates you to bounce back and overcome struggles that come your way? Share your thoughts on being resilient and what helps you power through…

 

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Multiple Sclerosis Association of America’s Webinar “How to S.E.A.R.C.H.™ for the Right MS Therapy for You!” Wins Award

MSAA is proud to announce that a 2012 APEX Award for Publication Excellence has been given to our online video webinar, “How to S.E.A.R.C.H.™ for the Right MS Therapy for You!” This is the first APEX Award MSAA has received in the category of webinars and the eighth APEX Award received overall. This year’s APEX award competition drew approximately 3,400 entries across a range of 11 categories.

“The recognition of being named an APEX Award winner demonstrates the excellent work of our staff and Dr. Corey Ford,” states MSAA President and CEO Doug Franklin. “It is also a great testament to the high quality of the programs offered by MSAA.”

MSAA’s S.E.A.R.C.H. program encourages individuals to take an active decision-making role in managing their MS and selecting a disease-modifying therapy. Presented by MSAA’s Healthcare Advisory Council Member Corey Ford, MD, PhD, the one-hour on-demand video provides an update on current and emerging MS therapies and explains how the S.E.A.R.C.H. acronym helps organize six key questions to ask one’s healthcare team when deciding on a therapy.

S.E.A.R.C.H stands for:

S. = Safety

E. = Effectiveness

A. = Affordability

R. = Risks

C. = Convenience

H. = Health Outcomes (overall wellness and quality of life)

We invite you to learn more about our S.E.A.R.C.H. program and view this award-winning webinar at the following link:

https://mymsaa.org/manage-your-ms/videos/search-webinar/

The S.E.A.R.C.H. program is made possible through unrestricted educational grants from Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, Biogen Idec, and Teva Neuroscience.

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Humor

“Humor is mankind’s greatest blessing”

-Mark Twain

Have you heard the saying that “Laughter is the best medicine?” Well, there might be something to it. Throughout time individuals have sought comedy and amusement to entertain themselves for a variety of reasons. Whether to brighten a mood, lighten up a bad day, or simply just for a good laugh, humor is continuously sought out for its’ contagious and pleasant effects.

It can relieve stress, help someone cope with a difficult situation, and bring happiness to one’s predicament that may have been absent before. Humor provides the possibility to lift one’s spirits and bring people who enjoy a good laugh, together. Perhaps humor is a luxury we’ve been fortunate enough to experience and can continuously share with others. So share a funny moment you’ve had, a time when humor got you through a rough day, or your thoughts on humor being a useful tool…

 

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Stress Relievers…

“To achieve great things, two things are needed: a plan and not quite enough time.”  

 -Leonard Bernstein

Let’s face it; life can be a bit stressful at times. There are days that bring obstacles and glitches that are not expected and not at all welcome in our routine. Our day to day activities can place a certain amount of stress on us, as we tend to pack our hours with as much as we can to fulfill the day’s tasks. Therefore, at the end of the day we may find ourselves overwhelmed and thinking, “How am I supposed to do this again tomorrow?” The mission then assigned to you is this, “What can I do to alleviate some of this stress?”

Relieving the stress you experience at any given time is important in order to combat the next day’s expectations of you. So what do you do when you are feeling stressed? Do you watch a good movie? Take in some fresh air? Or simply talk about the day with someone else who offers a listening ear? Please share your tips on relieving stress…

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MS News Update – Highlights from CMSC 2012

Highlights from The Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers’ Annual Meeting

MSAA has posted a new online article giving highlights from this year’s Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers’ Annual Meeting. MS experts from around the country attended this exciting conference, where the latest findings in MS research, treatments, symptom management, and patient care were presented.

Topics highlighted in this article include three new drugs presently under review by the FDA (teriflunomide, dimethyl fumarate, and alemtuzumab), while also giving the results of the Copaxone® study with lower-frequency dosing. The article explains the difficulties in understanding progressive forms of MS, presents the findings through different types of brain imaging, and provides information about a new study. Biomarkers, surrogates, and cognition are addressed in detail as well.

Read the full article on highlights from this year’s Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers’ Annual Meeting.

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The London 2012 Olympic Games Begin Tonight!

Celebrate the Olympics with Swim for MS

MSAA’s Swim for MS Pool Party

This Friday, July 27, the Summer Olympic Games Opening Ceremonies in London will usher in 17 days of competition among 204 countries.

Among the most exciting events to watch will be the swimming and diving events, especially with the strong team that the USA has put together. The first swimming event is scheduled to begin on Saturday, July 28.

As a great way to show your patriotism, cheer on the USA, and help support MSAA, we are encouraging volunteers to host a Swim for MS Pool Party during these next exciting two weeks of the Olympic Games.

Once signed up for your Pool Party, please be sure to take pictures and post them to MSAA’s FacebookTwitter  or YouTube  pages!

If you are looking for ideas to host an Olympic-themed Pool Party – check out MSAA’s new Pinterest Page.  You will find links to games, food, and other great tips for making your Swim for MS Pool Party a great success!

Please sign up today by visiting http://msaapoolparty.org. Go Team USA!

About Swim for MS Pool Party:

The Swim for MS Pool Party is part of MSAA’s popular Swim for MS program. It is a one-day event volunteers host in their own backyard or community pool.

To plan a Swim for MS Pool Party, volunteers first select a date, then select an activity – such as cannonballs, swimming laps or even a game of Marco Polo – and finally collect pledges from friends and family for the activity chosen.

It’s as easy as 1-2-3!

Pick a Date,

Join the Party,

100 Days to Make A Difference!

#SwimForMS

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Welcome to MS Conversations!

MS Conversations is the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America’s new blog!

It is our hope that this blog will provide a forum for you, the MS Community, to share your triumphs & struggles, tips, resources, and much more.

We very much want this to be a blog for YOU, so please feel free to leave comments and suggest topics for us to cover in the future!

Just as a reminder that MSAA does have a terms and conditions policy for our website and blog – so be sure to review before posting any comments.

Please check back on Monday and in the coming weeks for updates on the Swim for MS Pool Party, plus more tips and shared stories!

Let’s start the conversation!

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