Councilmember Jean Godden presents the MS Awareness Week proclamation to Patty Shepherd Barnes of the MS Northwest Chapter.
On Monday, the City Council proclaimed March 14-20, 2011 MS (Multiple Sclerosis) Awareness Week, calling on citizens to join the MS Society in helping raise awareness. Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an often disabling disease that attacks the central nervous system with symptoms as mild as numbness in the limbs or as severe as paralysis or loss of vision.
The Northwest region (Washington, Alaska and Montana) has one of the highest incidences of MS with more than 12,000 individuals and over 50,000 family members impacted by the disease. More than 1,250 residents in the City of Seattle live with MS.
Patty Shepherd Barnes of the Northwest Chapter accepted the proclamation, revealing that, for the very first time, there is an experimental oral medication for the disease. Shepherd Barnes urged citizens to observe Awareness week by wearing orange, joining the Facebook campaign and asking friends to dedicate their status or profile picture to the cause.
She invited citizens to join the 2011 Walk MS in Seattle on Apr. 3 at Husky Stadium. The walk will help raise funds and awareness for those 12,000 neighbors living with MS.