National Multiple Sclerosis Society Semi-Formal Event Raises Funds, Awareness for Multiple Sclerosis

National Multiple Sclerosis Society Semi-Formal Event Raises Funds, Awareness for Multiple Sclerosis

Young Professionals Group Invites Chicagoans to Enjoy “Cocktail’n for the Cause”. On Friday, November 4th from 7 – 11 p. m., the second annual Cocktail’n for the Cause event takes place at Galleria Marchetti, 825 W. Erie in Chicago. The benefit features an elegant night filled with dinner, drinks and dancing. Tickets are $100 and can be purchased online at www. msillinois. org.

Chicago, IL (PRWEB) October 12, 2005

During the summer of 2004, Natalie Hansen, a recently engaged young marketing professional living in the Chicago area received news that would change her life. She was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and became one of more than 400,000 Americans battling an incredibly frustrating and limiting disease.

“After hearing the diagnosis, the first thing I did was cry. I was devastated like anyone else.” Hansen explains. “Then in the next several months my life changed dramatically for the better because I chose to get involved in the fight against MS. I chose to face my fears head-on and fight.”

One way that Hansen has chosen to fight is by organizing Cocktail’n for the Cause, a semi-formal event that raises money for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society – Greater Illinois Chapter to support research, education programs and services provided to 18,000 Illinoisans living with MS. On Friday, November 4th from 7 – 11 p. m., the second annual Cocktail’n for the Cause event takes place at Galleria Marchetti, 825 W. Erie in Chicago. The benefit features an elegant night filled with dinner, drinks and dancing. Tickets are $100 and can be purchased online at www. msillinois. org. A kick-off party for the event will take place at Clybar, 2417 N. Clybourn from 6 – 10 p. m. on Wednesday, October 5th.

Last year, Hansen and four of her close friends used their business savvy to plan the inaugural Cocktail’n for the Cause, which raised more than $15,000. This year, they have joined forces with Multiple Solutions, a young professionals fundraising group affiliated with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Greater Illinois Chapter to help grow the event. Many members of the group, like Hansen, share direct ties to the disease.

Hansen says that bringing Cocktail’n for the Cause into Multiple Solutions has been very rewarding. “I cannot explain in words how therapeutic it has been for me to reach out and get involved,” she said. “I have a support network, I have new friends and we share new ideas and information about MS. We are all fighting MS together as a team. I’ve learned the benefits of facing your fears head-on; it’s never too late. Get involved, get informed, get support and together we can beat MS.”

In Illinois there are more than 18,000 families living with MS. Multiple sclerosis is a chronic, often disabling disease of the central nervous system. It is generally diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50. Symptoms can range from numbness in the limbs to paralysis or loss of vision. The progress, severity, and specific symptoms of MS in any one person cannot yet be predicted, but advances in research and treatments are giving hope to those affected by the disease.

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society provides programs and services that make life better for approximately 400,000 Americans with multiple sclerosis and their families and friends. The Society’s programs are designed to inform and empower people to maximize their health and independence.

Spread the Word 

Thanks to significant advances in research, the FDA has approved several treatments that may alter the underlying disease course of multiple sclerosis, and early treatment is critically important. People with MS should consult their doctors about using one of these FDA –approved medications and other effective treatments for the symptoms of MS. If you or someone you know has MS, contact the National Multiple Sclerosis Society at 1-800-FIGHT MS or www. msillinois. org.

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