Your Questions Answered – Hear Directly From Dr. Cramer on What This Change Means for You
With a deep sense of gratitude for her years of dedicated service to the Multiple Sclerosis community, the MS Alliance of Virginia presents this candid and informative farewell interview with Dr. Jill Cramer. As she embarks on a new chapter, Dr. Cramer graciously shares the personal reasons behind her transition, offers crucial guidance for her patients navigating this change, and reflects on her impactful journey. We extend our sincerest thanks to Dr. Cramer for her unwavering commitment and wish her the very best in all her future endeavors.
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Katie Meyer to Speak to VTCSOM Students.
The Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine (VTCSOM) is employing an innovative educational method known as Problem-Based Learning (PBL) to prepare its students for future careers. Through this approach, students interact directly with individuals living with conditions like Multiple Sclerosis (MS), gaining real-world perspectives on the diseases they will one day treat.
MS patient and advocate, Katie Meyer, will soon be sharing her experience with students in the program for the third year in a row. Katie, who was diagnosed with MS in 2013, has been a dedicated volunteer with the MS Alliance of VA (MSAV) since its founding and currently serves as a co-facilitator for our online MS Support Group Meetings. Katie hopes students will understand the individuality of this disease, “MS manifests differently in each person, and symptoms can change rapidly. Despite these challenges, those of us with MS must constantly advocate for ourselves – with insurance and pharmaceutical companies, employers, and sometimes even our own families who may not fully grasp the nature of this invisible illness. If our doctors can understand all of the moving parts that make up the MS patient, they can then give us better care.” Read full story HERE.
Nykode’s Inverse Vaccines Ease Disease Severity in MS Mouse Model
Two inverse vaccines from Nykode Therapeutics — developed to teach the immune system not to respond against its own body — worked to reduce disease severity in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis(MS), new data show. This adds to earlier findings that the company’s...
Justice Department Publishes Proposed Rule to Reclassify Cannabis, Begins Accepting Public Comments
The Justice Department has published a proposed rule in the US Federal Register to reclassify marijuana from Schedule I of the federal Controlled Substances Act. Cannabis has been classified as a Schedule I controlled substance since the creation of the Controlled...
My Graduate Studies Help Me Better Understand the Effects of Ableism
In previous columns, I’ve shared that I’m a graduate student at the University of Texas at Austin, but what exactly does that entail? Almost every time I tell someone I’m pursuing a doctorate in educational psychology, I’m met with the question, “What do you do?”...
Roanoke Valley MS Support Group Meeting July 25
Join us Thursday, July 25 for our Roanoke Valley MS Support Group Meeting! Spend time with others who get it! Time: 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm: Social time and optional dinner (attendees are responsible for their own check) 6:30 pm: Meeting begins promptly Location:...
Fatigue and Quality of Life Workshop June 19
Certified Wellness Coach Hannah Borny will hold a Fatigue and Quality of Life Workshop at the MS Alliance office in Salem on Wednesday, June 19th. Understanding fatigue in the context of multiple sclerosis (MS) can significantly enhance one's quality of life. First...
The Virginia Energy Assistance Program (EAP) assists low-income households in meeting their immediate home energy needs. The EAP consists of four components: Fuel Assistance, Crisis Assistance, Cooling Assistance and Weatherization Assistance. Click on the flyer for more information.
Our Mission Statement
Provide programs, events, activities and services for people living with MS in Southwest Virginia and the surrounding areas, including veterans.
Educate and empower people with MS, their care partners, friends and family. We will guide people to organizations that may be able to assist with their needs.
Contribute to awareness in the community, including educational programs to young people, first responders and community organizations.
Encourage and expand support groups to include assisted-living facilities, homebound people and help others start upbeat groups like ours.