2008-03-01 17:39:30 -

- The Arizona Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society Virginia Roberts, 480-968-2489 x 203 vroberts@aza.nmss.org The Arizona Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society is hosting its third annual Women Against MS luncheon on Wednesday, April 23, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Arizona Biltmore Resort and Spa. Guests will share the joys of a

fine lunch while watching an inspirational program emceed by Tara Hitchcock of "Good Morning Arizona," and featuring keynote speaker Kristie Salerno Kent. Kent will speak to the hundreds of guests about her life with MS. She was diagnosed with MS in 1999, and after several years of denial, she decided that the word dreams may end with an M and an S but her dreams don't end because of her MS. She is now a singer/songwriter/producer and the CEO of her own production company. Her music is a heartfelt testimony of her determination to succeed despite adversity.

The Women Against MS luncheon creates a motivational and empowering environment for people to gather, learn about MS, and raise funds for the National MS Society. A live drawing will allow attendees to purchase tickets for their chance to win one of five prize packages, each valued at over $500.

While men are certainly welcome to attend, it is women who founded this important event and who inspire each other to move it forward. Two-thirds of the people living with MS are women, and women often are the care providers for everyone else. Last year the Women Against MS luncheon raised nearly $70,000 to provide programs for people living with MS and fund research towards the cure and treatment of this chronic disease of the central nervous system.

Sponsorships, tables of 10 for families or corporations and individual tickets for the event are available for purchase, a portion of which is tax-deductible. To buy tickets or for more information, visit nationalMSsociety.org/azwams2008 or call the Arizona Chapter at 480-968-2488, option 2.

About Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis interrupts the flow of information from the brain to the body and stops people from moving. Every hour in the United States, someone is newly diagnosed with MS, an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system. Symptoms range from numbness and tingling to blindness and paralysis. The progress, severity and specific symptoms of MS in any one person cannot yet be predicted, but advances in research and treatment are moving us closer to a world free of MS. Most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, with more than twice as many women as men being diagnosed with the disease. MS affects more than 400,000 people in the U.S., and 2.5 million worldwide.

About the National Multiple Sclerosis Society

MS stops people from moving. The National MS Society exists to make sure it doesn't. We help each person address the challenges of living with MS through our 50 state network of chapters. We fund more MS research, provide more services to people with MS, offer more professional education and further more advocacy efforts than any other MS organization in the world. The Society is dedicated to achieving a world free of MS. We are people who want to do something about MS now. Join the movement at nationalmssociety.org.

Studies show that early and ongoing treatment with an FDA-approved therapy can reduce future disease activity and improve quality of life for many people with multiple sclerosis. Talk to your health care professional and contact the National MS Society at nationalmssociety.org or 1-800-FIGHT-MS to learn about ways to help manage multiple sclerosis and about current research that may one day reveal a cure.

Luncheon Provides Hope and Support to Women Affected by Multiple
Sclerosis