MS Views and News Hosting Events for MS Community in July

MS Views and News (MSVN), a non-profit organization that works to improve education, advocacy and service to empower and enhance the quality of life of patients who suffer from multiple sclerosis (MS), has announced it will offer a series of educational events on different topics throughout the month of July in Florida and Kentucky.

The educational patient programs and events hosted nationwide by MS Views and News throughout the year are designed to increase knowledge among patients and caregivers on managing multiple sclerosis. Since women are three times more likely to develop MS, according to the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA), women and MS will be an overarching topic for all four events in July.

The first event is entitled “The Land of MS: Effective Communication with Your Healthcare Team and Beyond” and will take place on July 7th at the Doubletree by Hilton Deerfield Beach/Boca Raton in Florida. Neurologist Brian Steingo, MD will address the topic of communicating with healthcare professionals through the use of an MS communication tool to assist patients with their health needs, such as new treatments and MS relapse avoidance.

In addition, licensed clinical psychologist Rhonda Q. Freeman, PhD will discuss the advantages of neuro-psychological testing and its relation to MS examination, evaluation, consultation and interventional treatments, while Jeffrey Segal, BS, CSCS, NSCA-CPT, CPTS will discuss the use of stretching methods to address spasticity pain.

The “Men’s & Women’s Health Issues with MS: Self Aspects plus the Impact on the Family” event will be held in Florida at the Embassy Suites Fort Myers, during which Matthew Baker, MD will discuss MS as a whole, including nutrition, depression, keeping positive, symptom management, parenting and family life while dealing with the disease. In addition, physical therapist and intuitive healer Michelle Alva will teach attendees how to activate the body’s own medicine and live with purpose, passion and pleasure. The event will take place on July 14th.

The following day, July 15th, MS News and Views will host a program with a particular focus on women, entitled “Women’s Health and MS: The Impact on Employment and the Family.” Patricia Pagnotta, MSN, ARNP-C, will serve as a special guest speaker at the event and will address the theme of bladder problems, sexual issues, nutrition, depression, keeping positive, symptom management, dating, parenting, children and family. The event will take place at the Holiday Inn, Lakewood Ranch in Florida.

“Empowering an MS Community in America’s Heartland” is the last program for July and the only one taking place in Kentucky, at the Holiday Inn Louisville. It will be held on July 27th and will feature advanced registered nurse practitioner Jenifer Patterson, APRN, who will discuss all currently FDA-approved treatments for MS, as well as adherence, compliance, relapse and invisible symptoms.

Prior registration for all the events is required and can be completed online here. At all events, participants can begin to arrive at 5:50 pm, after which MS Views and News will start hosting the presentations and provide a complimentary dinner for all attendees. The non-profit organization is being supported by Teva and NeuroScience for the “The Land of MS: Effective Communication with Your Healthcare Team and Beyond” event, while Genzyme is hosting the three others.