Momentum - Spring 2013

Going outside the ‘comfort zone’ Phyllis was determined to keep growing her team, FROG through MS! (Fully Rely On God through Multiple Sclerosis!). Yet, when one of the women in her exercise class told Phyllis about a support group, she balked.

“I hated the idea of support groups,” Phyllis remembers. “I just wanted to learn about new treatments and how to raise awareness. But the 16-year-old daughter of one of the women in my exercise class convinced me to go. It wasn’t what I expected at all. Now I go regularly to support groups for support—and to find new team members.” Once Phyllis stepped out of her “comfort zone” to recruit team members, she found almost limitless possibilities. “I’ve met people who are interested in joining my team in the supermarket, in the museum I volunteer for, and in the most unlikely places. Since I was in the Army, I get my medical care at the VA Medical Center, so I’ve recruited veterans from there. I keep putting myself out there and taking chances. Now, my team is 40 people strong— 16 of whom have MS.”

A common cause
Nowadays at Walk MS events, even severe
mobility issues can’t keep people away. All of the
Society’s Walk MS sites are fully accessible. And
people can participate
online by creating
their own fundraising
event or walking
virtually with a team.

“People have such a great time,” Phyllis says. “It’s like a carnival. And part of my job is to let my team know how inclusive it is.

They can walk, they can use scooters, walkers, or any mobility aid to help them keep going. I let everybody know there are no hard-and-fast rules or requirements. It’s our day and we are united by a common cause.” In Detroit, Marilena David-Martin experienced that unity firsthand. When her husband Alessandro was diagnosed five years ago at age 24, Marilena and the couple’s friends and family formed a close-knit circle of support around him. “I guess you can call us a modern family,” she says. “My heritage is Mexican and Puerto Rican. My husband is Polish-Italian. One of my best girlfriends is black and her husband is white. And my friend Tara is a Chaldean.” Two years later, that close-knit circle formed Team Alessandro, with Marilena as captain. Marilena regularly sends out emails telling donors and walkers how much money has been raised and about Alessandro’s treatments. She also rewards walkers with gift certificates. The team, which now numbers 25, has added members from unexpected places.