Healthcare Professionals, Patients Getting The Word Out During MS Awareness Week
By Michelle Durham
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - It's MS Awareness Week. Multiple Sclerosis is a disease that attacks the body's central nervous system, affecting the transmission of nerve signals, affecting speech, limb movement and so much more. Those who work with MS patients and those afflicted with it are grateful to shine a light on the issue.
Dr. Clyde Markowitz is Director of the MS Center at the University of Pennsylvania says MS patients today have more treatment options.
"Right now we currently have nine treatments available. Fifteen years ago we really only had one. We are getting much better at treating the disease finding better routes of administration. Now we have some pills, some intravenous medications."
There are several types of MS -- relapsing/remitting, progressive and pediatric. Jeremy Bolla is 36 and has relapsing/remitting.
"I wake up and I never know how my speech is going to be, if I can walk."
But he says he has a great support system with his parents, girlfriend and friends. He says he can't imagine going through this without them and he wants to make sure that others with MS get the support they need.
"It's good to talk to other people."
