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Impacting Lives Through Volunteering


UTU_Jermaine WrightJermaine Wright is a former athlete who didn’t know how he would be able to contribute to the community after being diagnosed with MS in 2003. Among his symptoms, the 38-year-old suffers from extreme fatigue, stiffness, and vertigo.

Jermaine volunteers at the MS office in Salt Lake City preparing event packets, doing data entry, making phone calls and many other tasks. Volunteering plays an important role in his treatment. “Volunteering proved to me that I can still contribute. It keeps me moving and keeps my mind engaged. My symptoms are more manageable when I am in the office volunteering. I love it and miss it on the days that I don’t volunteer,” said Jermaine. 

>>Read Jermaine's Entire Story

Upcoming Events


1/21 Walk Team Captain Kick Off Salt Lake

1/24 Walk Team Captain Kick Off Boise  

1/29 Bike Team Captain Kick Off Salt Lake 

2/13 - 2/14 Relationship Matters Salt Lake

2/13 - 2/14 Relationship Matters Boise

2/28 Women on the Move Salt Lake

3/28 Walk MS St. George

4/18 Walk MS Boise

4/25 Walk MS Salt Lake   

See All Upcoming Events >>


Keeping the Holidays Happy While Living with MS

While the holiday season can be a fun time filled with joy and cheer, the hustle and bustle may also bring added stress to those living with MS. Here are a few tips to help keep your days merry and bright this season.

Mindful Eating: Indulging in holiday foods, and other dietary changes, may cause digestive problems. Drinking too much alcohol might also cause digestive problems and enhance the side effects of medication. Avoiding food that causes problems and keeping alcohol consumption to a minimum is your path to being comfortable during the holidays.

Regulate Sleep: The holidays can make anyone tired. But for those with MS, who can live in a constant state of fatigue, the increased pace can really take a toll on general health. It’s easy to stay up late night after night and build a sleep deficit that exaggerates the fatigue. Stay on track with your sleep schedule and try to budget in some naps.

Deep breathing: Find a quiet, comfortable area with no distractions. Sit up straight and tall. Take a deep breath in through the nose and out through the mouth and release. Notice your ribs expand while the rest of your body is motionless. Breathe deeply, slowly, and smoothly. Remember, your goal is to quiet your mind and to remain in the moment. Try this exercise daily during the holiday season to help regulate stress. 

Take steps ahead of time to reduce stress so you can enjoy the holiday season and successfully manage your MS.


Volunteer


Open Position: We're looking for a Volunteer Specialist to coordinate and manage the volunteer program in the Utah-Southern Idaho Chapter. Our events and community impact would not be possible without our volunteers, and this is a fantastic opportunity to help us continue to make a difference. 

For more information about the position and to apply, please visit: http://bit.ly/volcord

We are also recruiting for members of our Walk MS committees. Please email Amanda.savage@nmss.org for questions or to join our team. 


UTU_Volunteer

 

The Little Things Do Matter

by Darrin Pinkerton from Associated Food Stores

UTU_AFS Impact 2014Darrin Pinkerton, from Associated Food Stores, has been involved in our Chapter for many years as a volunteer and a Bike MS participant. Last month at our Chapter’s Annual Celebration, Associated Food Stores received a Corporate Impact Award for increasing their support in 2014 to help with logistics, and added a Walk MS team to their already robust support of a Bike MS team. Pictured in the photo are Todd Oldroyd, Board Chair; Darrin Pinkerton, Associated Food Stores; Annette Royle-Mitchell, Chapter President. The following is Darrin’s story of his involvement in our Chapter. 

"I fell in love with Bike MS bike from a purely cycling perspective. Raising the $250 minimum was scary, but I sailed past that raising $600 my first time participating. I did the ride by myself, no friends or team. The following year I joined a team that no longer participates; I can’t even remember the name," said Pinkerton. 

View Complete Story >>

Advancements


Significant research progress occurred in 2014, including an investment of $50.6 million for 380 new and ongoing research projects and initiatives. Looking ahead, the Society is committed to fueling research by increasing its annual investment to over $52 million in 2015.

For a full report of new treatments and research advances, please visit http://bit.ly/2014MS.

 

UTU_2014-15

 


MSidaho.org
 •  MSutah.org  •  800.344.4867  •  utah.idaho@nmss.org